Jupiter
by blackfire93
Summary: Jupiter, Jamie's younger fraternal twin sister was raised by their dad. Jamie and Jupiter found out about each other after their mother died and Jamie found her diary which had a picture of the twins and their names. They became pen-pals and when they were older they met face to face and found they had a lot in common becoming good friends. Both have a grudge against Raiden Global
1. Chapter 1

**HELLO EVERYONE! I am well aware that this is a very short first chapter but I'm just dipping my toe into the pool, this will be my first time writing a fan-fiction for Zoo and I want to have a better grasp on the main characters emotions and way of speaking so I can ease my OC into the write seamlessly. I plan on keeping most of the really big events the same and I know my conversations won't be exactly the same as they were in the movie however I changed things to fit my OC in. I hope ya'll like but I'm really writing this for me (because I'm totally in love with Mitch) so if you feel my OC is to Mary Sue for you, well I hope you find a write more to your liking but don't feel the need to diss mine ok.? I don't mind criticism to help me get better but just telling me something along the lines of 'your story sucks stop writing' doesn't help me in anyway…. Enjoy.**

I had got back to the hotel I was staying at in Hawaii when my phone rang loudly causing me to wince slightly as my head was pounding from all the alcohol I had consumed earlier at my 'going away' party my friends had hosted after the going drinks my superiors had had with me upon my final signature on my resignation. Grabbing at my pocket I finally managed to pull out my phone and answered it.

"Jupiter." I whispered into the phone trying not to wake up any of the other occupants on the same floor. "Jupe this is Jamie. I was just calling to see what time your flight would be landing." Jamie my older twin sister said, I swore a blue streak in Icelandic but managed to calm myself as I shouldered my way into my hotel room. "Let me look at the flight plan again." I said trying to pass off the fact that I had forgotten, I could practically feel the look Jamie was giving me, the one that said she knew something was off.

I flipped open my laptop and after if verified who I was I quickly checked the flight manifest and saw that I could book a red eye flight that would be leaving in twenty minutes. "I should be landing in Los Angeles in a little over five hours." I told her while I paid for my ticket online and then began to shove my few clothes haphazardly into my black army duffel bag. "Okay call me when you're at the airport I'll come and pick you up." Jamie said happily and we hung up.

With the help of a few Andrew Jackson's a determined cabby my Navy ID letting me through without the metal detectors or pat down I made it onto the flight with seconds to spare. Sighing I fell back into the seat on the nearly empty plane I had managed to weasel my way into getting my duffel bag written as a carry-on bag and since no one was behind me. Stretching I popped my neck and shoulders before yawning and then putting in my headphones and chose my Celtic playlist as I fell asleep knowing the flight attendant would wake me when we got to Los Angeles.

It felt like I had just closed my eyes when the flight attendant was shaking me awake. I thanked her and after a big yawn and stretch I un-buckled putting my head-phones and iPod into my duffel bag I walked out of the plane. After getting through security I made my way outside and found a place out of the flow of people to stand and call Jamie while I stretched feeling a bit stiff from sleeping in a single position.

When Jamie came to pick me up I tossed my duffel bag into the back seat and after sliding into the front seat and giving her a quick hug I pulled on my seatbelt and I asked her about her Journalism job. She told me about her current story and I managed not to yawn as I felt the urge to fall asleep until she mentioned something about a possible connection between two lions who mauled their keepers and went on to attack and kill several people before being put down and Radian Global.

"That's the company that killed ..mom right?" I asked just to be sure, the word mom or mother still feeling odd to say as I had never met the woman who had given birth to me having been raised by our dad who had died a seven months after I turned eighteen. "Yeah it's the same company." Jamie said pulling me out of my thoughts and back into the present. "So you have any leads you want me to chase down for you?" I asked. She gave me a side smile, "You need food, a shower, new clothes and some more sleep before you do anything." I laughed and agreed.

After stopping at Eaten Park and grabbing some breakfast we went back to her place and I immediately stepped into the shower while she went to chase down a lead saying she would be back in a few hours.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you, Cents' for your review, favorite and following of my story here is chapter two. Chapter three will be the introduction of my OC to the other main characters as well as begin the action, also it will be longer then my first two chapters.**

 **CHAPTER TWO**

I woke up to the sound of Jamie raising her voice against a male she sounded more annoyed then anything so I didn't bother worrying about her as I yawned and stretched before rolling out of bed. I heard the front door shut loudly as I walked out of the small guest bedroom that Jamie had made up for me when she first bought her apartment. As I made my way out into the kitchen to make some coffee I saw Jamie rush past me she hollered goodbye and was out the door before I comprehended what she had said. "Bye." I replied waving to an already closed door in a now empty apartment.

Seeing half a pot of cold coffee I decided it was better than making and then waiting for another pot of coffee to perk and drank it straight out of the pot. Finishing the cold half-pot, I grabbed a bagel and smothered it with blueberry cream cheese while munching on it I grabbed my cell phone from where I had it on the charger in the small living room area. Seeing that I had several missed call's all from an unknown number I immediately called it back as I woofed down the bagel. It rang five times and I was just about to hang up when it stopped ringing and a high pitched female voice answered it in Icelandic she sounded scared.

" **Is this Ruin?"** She asked I felt my brow furrow in surprise and confusion at her use of the name I had used on for some particularly dark missions I had been assigned to complete by any means necessary. **"Who are you? How did you get this number."** I demanded standing up from the couch I had been sitting on and immediately moving out of eyesight of the windows and into the guest bedroom. Grabbing my two guns and strapping my small hunting knives around my ankle in quick precise movements, **"My name is Lina Frost, Xander gave me your number he said you could help me."** She said.

Immediately she got my full attention, **"What is your location and security word?"** I asked settling down a little now that I knew that my position wasn't compromised and my cell phone was near impossible to trace. After she told me her location and the security number that I used to ID her when I called Xander to double check. He told me some of the details and I sighed heavily knowing what this meant for me and Jamie although to be fair he always paid his debts in full and this one was going to cost him. _"Well there goes any thoughts of me actually going to a beach and drowning myself in booze while catching up with Jamie."_ I thought morosely as I re-packed all my clothes which Jamie had washed and dried for me while I had slept before calling her and getting her voicemail. "Hey Jamie it's me, um somethings come up so I'm going to be going off grid at least for a few months. I'm sorry I will make it up to you I promise, don't do anything I wouldn't do. Love ya sis."

 **FIVE MONTHS LATER:**

 **SOMEWHERE IN SWITZERLAND:**

I hissed as Granger, the field doctor patched up my newest addition to the scars that littered my body generously. "I can't believe that you got hit." Granger said with a raised eyebrow silently asking me for the story. I scowled at him, "Well if you were faced with a skunk's back end only three feet in front of you, you would have been distracted a bit to!" I muttered sharply staring at my feet sulking a bit. Granger laughed as he finished sewing and placed some ointment and cotton pads on it before wrapping it up. "I can't say that's a lie. After all I do have a certain pair of striped spite fire at home." He replied causing both of us to chuckle a bit at the thought of his wife and daughter who loved to dye a single section of their hair a different color for each month. "Thanks Granger." I said as I pulled my button up black long-sleeve back on ready to get back to Los Angeles and spend some time with my sister.

After several hours of driving I was back at the small town where I had left my personal things. I went inside the post office and retrieved my cell-phone which I had turned off after I had called Jamie and left her a message. When I turned it on I saw immediately I had over a hundred-missed call's all from Jamie. Immediately I was worried, I hit redial and waited anxiously for her to pick up as I took my other personal things and placed them back on my person before leaving the backroom and heading for the door intending to get to Los Angeles as soon as I could. I just stepped outside the post office when my phone rang with an unknown number I immediately picked it up. "Hello?"

"Jupiter?" Jamie asked her voice sounding both tired and elated, "Jamie what's happened are you okay?" I asked trying to stay calm. "I'll explain later but right now I need to meet me at Paris, France." Jamie said. I as a bit surprised but agreed without hesitation immediately finding a ride and heading over the boarder that protected the two countries.


	3. Chapter 3

**HELLO EVERONE. Thanks for the favorite(s), review(s), and follow(s), here is chapter 3. Clementine is Mitch's niece in this write and he is very close to her as his sister, her mother died and her dad got remarried. Mitch does have an Ex-wife but they don't have any kids. I made it where women are allowed in the Navy SEAL's but only seventeen women out of twenty-thousand that applied have qualified so far (the standards that need to be met are not lowered for the woman which is why the number is so few) and yes my OC is/was one of them. Also since I am unsure of the ages for the character's here are the ages I put them at. Abraham 35, Mitch 32, Jackson 28, Chloe 27, Jamie and Jupiter 27.**

 **CHAPTER THREE**

I waited at the airport anxiously watching each person that came through the gates, looking for Jamie. As soon as I saw her I immediately made a B line towards her, taking note that she seemed to be with another female and three guys who seemed to be encircling her sort of as though to protect her from some unseen danger.

"Jam!" I called out using my nickname for her just in case there was something going on that I didn't know about. Instantly Jamie came running towards me and I caught her in a tight hug keeping an eye on the four-other people that she had been with and who were now walking towards us.

"Jupiter!" Jamie said happily as she pulled back, "The groupies?" I asked using a slight nod of my head,

"Oh these are my friends. Chloe, Jackson, Abraham and Mitch. Um let's go somewhere else to talk okay?" She said looking around trying to be sneaky but I knew something was wrong.

"Sure, you have somewhere in mind?" I asked as we walked out of the airport not getting any luggage letting me know that they were all traveling very light. Like I did on certain occasions when I had to be somewhere in a hurry.

I rented out two SUV's and Jamie and Mitch rode in one with me while the other three rode in the other one. As I followed the directions that Chloe had programed into the SUV's navigation system Jamie told me about everything that had been going on in her life since I had left five months ago with Mitch voicing up from the backseat with his charming sarcasm and scientific knowledge. I was surprised and shocked a little at everything especially about her killing the FBI agent Ben something but I was proud of her to and made sure to tell her that. We pulled up at the Mammifere Research Facility and down into the laboratory where Mitch would be checking the bear out.

"So how do we tell if he's been infected by the Mother cell?" I asked Mitch as I watched him crouch down beside the bear, leaning onto the concrete wall about ten feet away from the hibernating bear.

"Hand me that trey of test tube's over there, will you?" Mitch asked Jamie pointing vaguely behind him before he answered me, "I'm gonna take a blood panel and hope that some foreign elements show up. If they do, I'll compare their chemical structure with the Mother Cell. If they match we've got our answer." Mitch said.

"So basically your looking for a fingerprint, chemically speaking?" I said watching him as Jamie handed him the test tubes.

"Look at you getting all sciency." Mitch said somewhat surprised as he looked towards me, I smirked at him, "Advantage of having hot physics and chemistry teacher's." I replied. Mitch raised an eyebrow but gave a chuckle as he handed something to Jamie and told her,

"Ten drops each into each of those test tubes. And as a backup I'll take a DNA sample, it takes a little longer but might as well while were here right?" Mitch said not really asking me but I shrugged in answer any way. I was the newest member to the little group and I knew I didn't have a full grasp on everything yet so who was I to say what to do?

"Would you mind taking a swab from our friends mouth there?" Mitch asked holding a cotton swab out in my direction. I pushed off from the wall and took the swab,

"Sure thing Doc." I replied flippantly as I walked over to the bear and began to lean across the table when the monitor of the bear's heart rate began to speed up. Staying where I was I looked up, "I think Cotton Eyed Joe here is waking up." I said looking towards Mitch, I heard Jamie snicker at my name for the bear as Mitch replied unconcerned,

"Oh that's okay." I pursed my lips and crossed my arms while raising an eyebrow, "Care to explain that a little more sugar?" I questioned in a tone of voice that made it known that was really a question.

Mitch rolled his eyes but explained, "Even in hibernation a bear's heart rate will increase when a predator gets to close. It's kind of like nature's silent alarm. Apparently your quite predatory …or maybe it's just your smell." Mitch said as I leaned down halfway through his explanation and rubbed the bear's tongue with the cotton swab. I was standing back up when he finished his little snarky comment and pursed my lips pretending to be deep in thought,

"Yeah I did have to ride here with a bag of trash in my backseat." I shot back at him as I held the cotton swab with the bear's saliva on the one end towards him. I saw his lips twitch upwards at my comeback even as he pointed me in another direction, "Put that in one of the little baggies over there." He said. I nodded and did as he asked when I felt my phone vibrate in my jean's pocket. I heard Mitch mutter something under his breath as I stepped outside of the laboratory to check my phone.

It was a coded message from Xander letting me know that everything was fine now and telling me that he was ready to pay his debt however and whenever I needed it. After reading it I immediately attached a virus to it and deleted it from my phone before re-entering the lab just as Jamie and Mitch were getting ready to leave.

"Everything ok?" Jamie asked me looking a bit hesitant, she knew I could get a phone call and then be gone for days even months at a time and I wouldn't be able to tell her why. I smiled, "Yeah. I'm sticking with you guy's until we find the cure. I need my Big Mac's and I would rather the Beef not eat me." I said causing Jamie and Mitch to chuckle in agreement with my statement. Jamie called Chloe who gave us instructions to her home where we would be staying and after making sure it was okay for me to stay over as well I drove us over there.

After we talked I decided to go grocery shopping and Mitch volunteered to come with me since Jamie wanted to take a shower and the others weren't at Chloe's yet. It was growing dark when Mitch and I finished grocery shopping and got back to Chloe's, after Mitch and I took everything into the kitchen I went to the small outdoor patio Chloe had to have a smoke. Half way through my cigarette Jamie joined me, leaning on the railing as she stared out at the lights of Pairs. After a moment of peaceful silence, I glanced at her sideways as I took a final deep drag before letting it out in a single breath and dropped the stub onto the patio concrete floor before grinding it out with the tip of my boot.

"You know when I came to your apartment five months I had something I wanted to tell you before an acquaintance called me away." I said watching her from the corner of my eye.

"Yeah and what was that? That you wouldn't be there when I needed you most?" Jamie asked harshly as she turned towards me. I wanted to immediately confront her head on but I knew that she was probably dealing with the guilt of taking a human life.

"I wanted to tell you I resigned. I'm no longer in the Navy and I don't plan on leaving you again. I'm with you now, no more me being gone for months at a time, I promise." I said making sure to add my promise at the end so she would know that I was serious. I never made a promise that I didn't think I could keep and she knew that. At that moment Abraham came out onto the patio as well so I went inside to help make dinner and get to know the other members better.

I finished cooking and set the table but felt exhausted and I knew that my bullet wound dressing needed changed so after I forced down several bites I excused myself and went out to the SUV to grab my duffel bag before heading to the bathroom to get a shower and change my wrapping. After my shower and changing my dressing putting some more antibiotic gel on it I pulled on my over-sized long-sleeve PJ's and collapsed exhausted onto the couch in the living-room while the others ate their supper. When I woke up, the next morning I felt someone watching me and continued to fake being asleep until I heard Jamie's voice warning someone, "I wouldn't get that close to her while she's sleeping."

"I just want to see how she'll react-" Mitch cut off his sentence abruptly as his voice gave away his position and using my advantage of surprise I shot up off the couch grabbing his stretched forward hand with the feather duster and had him pressed face first down into the couch with both of his arms behind his back and my knee pressed into spine.

"See how'll I'll react to what?" I whispered into his ear causing him to twitch a bit at my closeness.

"Jupe coffee's ready." Jamie said and immediately I vaulted myself over the couch and quickly crossed into the kitchen taking the coffee cup she was holding out towards me. I held it close to my nose and breathed in its heavenly smell before taking a sip.

"Sorry about last night I was a little tired." I told her as I leaned back onto the counter.

"Me to." Jamie said and I knew she meant about her attitude on the patio the night before, I smiled at her letting her know all was forgiven without words and we enjoyed our coffee while Jamie told be about their plan for the day.

"Do you want me to do anything?" I asked after she explained the plan to me,

"You could let me examine your cut." Mitch said his arms crossed as he walked towards us, I felt my forehead wrinkle in confusion as to how he knew and then remembered that I had left the old wrapping in the garbage which was a small can with no lid.

"Oh that." I replied seeing the knowing look on Jamie's face and knowing denial wouldn't get me anywhere as she must have seen the bloody wrappings as well. Jackson, Abraham and Chloe walked into the kitchen just then they appeared to have just woken up as they all headed towards the coffee pot immediately.

"It's already been looked over by a doctor." I said as I took another sip of my coffee. I saw the look on Jamie's face,

"You're not going to let this go are you?" I asked resignedly. Jamie raised an eyebrow and I took another sip of my coffee before setting it down onto the counter top behind me with a sigh and turning towards Mitch.

"Well Doc where do ya wanna do this?" I asked.

"Here's fine." Mitch replied pointing to one of the several stools that were around the island in the center of Chloe's kitchen. I sat down on the stool and pulled my long-sleeve off I heard a surprised intake of breath at the sight of my back which besides the two small knife scars, it also had the scars from an angry lioness's claws. Starting in the center of my left shoulder blade and dragging over and down to stop three inches above my pants line on my right side. I had gotten a tattoo artist to make it look like the scars were bleeding the effect was pretty neat and always made people do a double take.

I saw Mitch's eyes wonder my body and smirked before snapping my fingers, "Eyes up Doc maybe I'll let you give me a full look over later if your good…or if you're really bad." I said.

"Jupiter!" Jamie said causing me to laugh and the others chuckled as well as the tension broke in the room and Mitch un-wrapped my left bicep.

"This looks pretty recent." Mitch said as he looked it over, I saw Jamie cross her arms and give me the 'spill' look. Deciding to play it safe with a very doctored half-truth I told her, "I got this because a skunk got the drop on me and a redneck hunter had terrible aim." Thankfully no one pushed it and soon they left for Raiden Global while Mitch headed to the lab. I stayed at Chloe's as I wasn't needed and decided to get my nails and hair done after all there might be an animal apocalypse coming I might not be able to do it again, "Maybe another tattoo to." I mused out-loud as I got changed into jeans and a deep green button up quarter-length shirt.

Four hours later my finger nails were professionally done black with little silver crescent moons in the center. And my hair which had been brown and had fallen down to my waist line was now white, mint green and lavender and cut into a layered pixie that gave me bangs that fell over my left eye and was cut up to my hairline on the back of my neck. I also had a very new tattoo of the Om symbol on the underside of my right wrist, _"After all it could very well be the end of life as we know it and the beginning of a new way of life."_ I thought as I traced my fingertips over my new tattoo while I walked back to Chloe's house. When I got there, I made lunch and ate it when Jamie called me to let me know that their plan had worked but the bear had woken up and escaped the lab but not before Mitch had injected it with a tracking chip so Chloe, Abraham and Jackson were going to track the bear while Mitch led them and she was going to check on Mitch. "Want me to do anything?" I asked.

A minute later I had my coat on and one of my guns strapped to my ankle and five knives safely hidden away on my body while I called a cab to take me to the Meudon Forest to meet up with Chloe, Jackson and Abraham to track down the bears. I made sure to give the cab driver proper motivation and following the text Jamie sent me I arrived and got out of the cab just in-time to hear Jackson holler,

"Over here." I followed Chloe, Abraham and the French guy they were with to Jackson and saw the dead guy. Abraham bent down and checked for a pulse before pulling back,

"Ice cold. He's been dead for at least a few days." Abraham said as I walked past checking the ground for any sign that a heavy creature had went that way. I saw some broken twigs and several imprints in the grass,

"This way." I said pointing to the trail the bear or bears had left. We followed the trail to a ridge and saw the remains of a building with a trail leading down the ridge towards it. I continued moving forward as I heard Jackson ask,

"What is this place?" I concentrated on the ground missing out on the first part of what the French guy said only overhearing, "They tore most of it down forty years ago."

Making it down the hill I was about twenty feet ahead of the others, "Hey Jackson, Abraham does that hole look big enough for a bear to get into to you guys?" I asked pointing towards the broken wooden frame of a lattice.

"It sure does." Jackson replied as we continued to walk towards it before stopping right outside of it. Jackson took the backpack off his shoulders and crouched down setting it on the grass as he started unzipping the backpack. I watched him pull out a tranquilizer gun and look at me,

"Do you know how to shoot one of these?" He asked handing the first one to Abraham,

"Didn't Jamie tell you what my chosen profession was for the past nine years?" I asked. I saw the surprise on his face,

"I thought she was joking." He replied handing me the next one.

"Nope." I said as I checked the gun before taking the flashlight he handed me next as well and placing alongside the barrel. Jackson handed Chloe one and took the last one before zipping up his backpack and tossing it back over his shoulders while Abraham and I stepped inside ignoring the French man's protest.

We walked soundlessly as we moved through the tunnels I was upfront with Abraham on my left and Jackson on my right when Abraham started to hum. I felt my lips twitch as Jackson spoke up, "Really Abe?"

"What it comforts me." Abraham said defending himself although he did stop. A low snarling noise echoed throughout the tunnel and Jackson made a shushing noise as we continued moving forwards. When the snarling noise was made again Chloe spoke up, "What is that?"

Jackson and I exchanged glances and moved ahead at a faster clip as Abraham answered her, "The bear's, their snoring." Several feet further I held up my clenched fist in a signal for the other three to stop as Jackson and I surveyed the scene in front of us. Determining that the bears were sleeping I motioned for them come forward as I kept my tranquilizer gun trained on one of them and Jackson doing the same to the other.

"There's no signal I can't call this in." Chloe whispered to Jackson, "The third one's not here." I whispered as I checked out the rest of the room where the two were sleeping. We all began to move forwards and I spotted the third one putting my flashlight on it so the others saw it as well.

Immediately the French guy spoke up keeping his voice hushed thankfully, "Okay that's three can we go now and alert Wildlife Services?" I kept my tranq gun trained on the third bear while waiting for Chloe, who Jamie had told me was the team leader to make the decision.

"Okay let's go." Chloe whispered backing away. I turned away from the bear last as we moved back the way we had come, the French guy happily rushing to be first. I bit my lower lip to hold back my laughter when Chloe said, "When we were living together I was always the one who killed the spiders."

I moved silently behind them until I recognized the now empty room where the bears had been sleeping. Apparently, Abraham recognized it to as we spoke at the same time, "Where are the bears?"

"What do you mean?" Jackson asked. I gave Abraham a nod and he spoke up, "This is where the bears were sleeping." Jackson and Chloe came to a stop,

"Are you sure?" Jackson asked scanning the room, "Yes I recognize the debris in that corner." Abraham replied using his flashlight to show what he was talking about.

"Tell your friend to stop!" I told Chloe urgently as he was already a good twenty feet in front of us and since he wasn't armed and there was many tunnels that connected to the one we were using he was open game. She opened her mouth either to ask my why, tell me off or do what I said but it was lost as the third bear roared from behind us. Immediately I turned towards it training my tranq gun on it, Jackson rattled off some advice from behind me which I stopped by saying, "I'm fine get the French dude he's open game!"

I saw Abraham come up on the other side of the tunnel out of the corner of my eye. "I will stay with her, go get him." Abraham said to Jackson and Chloe who I heard their retreating footsteps. The bear started to run towards us and I took a knee aiming for the neck, I hit it but it bounced off the bear like it was hardened rubber.

"Are these bears suppose too have a mutation?" I asked Abraham as I reloaded my tranq gun before training it back on the rapidly approaching bear.

"Mitch said it seemed to have grown a sort of body armor." Abraham replied firing off two which bounced off the bear harmlessly as well.

"Body armor…body armor…try aiming for the back legs!" I said before I moved forward and into a side tunnel calling to the bear so Abraham would have a clear shot at its hindquarters. It was about seven feet from me when I heard Abraham shoot and the bear turned its attentions towards Abraham I brought up my tranq gun and shot its hindquarters as it moved past me and it rocked before falling with a groan.

I stepped out and walked around it with as much distance as I could get between me and it as I moved towards Abraham and we exchanged smiles of comradery as we turned and ran in the direction the other three had went meeting Jackson half way.

"Any sign of the third one?" I asked Jackson as we passed the bear he had put to sleep.

"Not yet." Jackson replied. I nodded and kept a careful eye out on the tunnels behind us while Abraham and Jackson helped the French guy out of the tunnels with Chloe walking in front of them.

When we got out Chloe immediately called it in and after she explained things and had a short talk with the French guy who's name I still didn't know nor bothered to ask we all left. Since I had taken a cab to get there I rode with Chloe, Jackson and Abraham back to the lab where Mitch and Jamie were waiting. I saw Jamie look me over for any injury before Mitch had us sit down and began to do some show and tell.

"This is the DNA profile from the bear from the lab, and this is the same bears DNA six years ago when he was first tagged." He said showing us the two different DNA profiles.

"It's changed. Was it the Mother Cell?" Jamie asked.

"Yes and no." Mitch replied.

"What does that mean?" Jackson asked. Mitch launched into an explanation which I didn't really pay attention to until be began to list off things that they had seen,

"The bear's endoskeletons, the bats flying abnormally high, the lions communicating over long distances-" Mitch was cut of by Jackson who spoke up, "They all make their species more capable of survival. Stronger, better."

"What I think is that just like our ancestors developed apposable thumbs, I think the Mother Cell is just accelerating these mutations in the animal kingdom which we would probably see occur naturally but not for at least another several generations, a couple of hundred years from now. Depending on how long it takes us to screw up the planet." Mitch said.

"But we're seeing it now because of the Mother Cell." Jamie said.

Mitch nodded and spoke again, "But here's the good news-," I cut him off then,

"If the Mother Cell can make a naturally occurring situation worse maybe it can do the opposite." Mitch nodded, "Yeah."

Abraham finally spoke up then, "But what's the opposite?" We all remained quiet thinking that over, as we went back to Chloe's house where she left having to meet with the guy who put the team together.

The next day Chloe told me that they were being sent to Pender Island in Massachusetts. It got quiet and I looked up from my coffee to see them all looking at me, "Is something on my face?" I asked clueless as to why I was the focus of their sudden interest.

"We had a meeting last night and we have come to the decision that if you would like to join us and be a member of our group we would welcome you." Chloe said. I smiled,

"Heck yeah. Let me pack my bag." I said getting up from the table when Jamie smiled and set my duffel bag down in front of me, "Already packed." I laughed, "Then after you." I said gesturing towards the front door.


	4. Chapter 4

**HELLO EVERONE. Thanks for the favorite(s), review(s), and follow(s), here is chapter 4. Remember the ages are, Abraham 35, Mitch 32, Jackson 30, Chloe 29, Jamie and Jupiter 27. Their heights are, Jackson is 6'3, Chloe is 5'7, Abraham is 6'7, Jamie is 5'7, Mitch is 6'2, Jupiter is 6'0.**

 **CHAPTER FOUR**

I sat beside Mitch on the flight to Boston we got along pretty -well as we both had a sarcastic and somewhat dark sense of humor that other people didn't get. We also liked some of the same music and movies, we had an extremely long discussion about Doctor Who I loved it whereas he focused on the scientific aspects of it and how possible or probable they were. Upon reaching Boston and stopping for some food we drove to the pier where the boat would take us to Pender Island. Mitch was going to stay behind and talk to a friend of his from Harvard about the Mother Cell while the rest of us were going to look for possible bloodthirsty rats. Jamie walked beside Jackson, Chloe and Abe walked behind them and Mitch and I walked together as we made our to the boat, "You sure your gonna be okay doing sciency things by yourself?" I asked Mitch with a grin as we stopped just before the boat. "If I get in trouble I'll be sure to call you." Mitch replied with a smile, but I felt something was off about it he almost seemed nervous or hesitant like his normal snark had become a mask to hide behind. "And how will you go that genius? You don't have my number remember? However I have yours and if I feel your weakening brain waves signal I'll give you a call, deal?" I asked with a smile he laughed, "Deal." He replied before I walked onto the boat leaving him behind.

After putting our luggage away we all met up, "So how did a few rat's become thousands on the course of a trip across the Atlantic?" Jamie asked. Jackson spoke up, "Well if Mitch is right and the Mother Cell is an accelerant, then maybe by being exposed to it in a contained environment it accelerated the reproductive nature of the rats." I mulled that over, "Or we could be seeing it in rat's first because of they have a short gestation period." I said, Abe nodded in agreement with my statement, "What if this is just the beginning? We could face a massive population explosion in the entire animal kingdom. A swarm of rat's is one thing but of lions, tigers or alligators?-" Jamie spoke up then, "How would we even begin to fight back against something like that?"

"Well first things first, we need to warn the people of Pender Island." Jackson said. "What do you mean warn them? Aren't they already aware? I mean thousands of rats don't just vanish without a trace." I said feeling slightly confused. "Well aside from the fisherman no-one had reported any rats at all." Chloe said. "None?" Jamie and I asked at the same time. "How is that possible?" Abe asked. "Let's focus on why we are here. We need to capture a male and a female so we can take it back for Mitch to study. It's the only way to see how the Mother Cell is affecting their reproduction behavior." Chloe said. "So were going on a rat hunt?" Jamie said. I gave a short laugh, "I've been on a few before but they were always to legged rats." Everyone smiled briefly at that before Abe spoke up, "What's the matter, Rafiki?" I looked at Jackson who bit his lip before replying, "The men that died on that cargo ship were eaten by rats and it's been proven that rats that taste human blood begin to crave it." Jackson replied. "Well…that's just awesome." Jamie replied looking grossed out. No one said anything after that as we all split up a bit, I walked away from them a bit to have a smoke only joining back up with them when we were getting closer to the island. I grabbed my backpack which I had brought in place of my duffel bag since we didn't plan on being on Pender Island for that long and pulled it over my shoulder.

I saw Jackson come up beside me his backpack sling over his shoulder, "You know I've been here once before." I said leaning against the boat's railing. "Yeah?" Jackson asked curious, "Yeah, I was ten when my dad brought me here for a weekend. We slept under the star's on a rented boat and had junk-food and be-.. well it was a fun weekend I caught a dozen fish and dad complained that he only caught one." I said just catching myself in time to keep from saying that I had been allowed alcohol at such a young age. "I came here a few times with my dad to." Jackson replied and then there was a peaceful silence until the others came and we walked onto the island. "Hey I'll walk around and see if there are any buildings that the rats could currently be holed up in ok?" I said as I began to walk away, the memories that being here again brought up were something I didn't want to let myself remember doing something was what I needed. "Okay call us if you get anything." Jackson said, I gave him a wave signaling that I had heard him as I kept moving forward. As soon as I was around the next corner out of their line of vision I fell back against the warm brick wall and just soaked in the sun for a minute. Then taking a deep breath I stood up straight and asked the nearest person if there was any large building, vacant and away from other places. I was told the Wilson Hotel by five out of seven people so I decided to start there sending Jamie a text so she could let the others know.

I met up with the others outside of the Wilson Hotel and tried the door, finding it locked without thinking about it I grabbed the paperclip I was wearing as an earring in my left ear and picked the lock. It didn't dawn on me that my actions were under view of others including my older sister until I heard her clear her throat emphatically behind me. "Oh..uhh…whoops?" I said as I re-bent the paperclip and slipped it in my pocket as it was no longer clean while standing up and opening the door. "I am impressed twelve seconds." Abe said as he came in behind me, I tossed him a grin, "Not my best time but not my worse either." I replied as I walked through the first few rooms looking for any sings of rats. I could hear the others talking as I walked farther into the hotel using my small travel size flashlight to scan the rooms. Seeing no rat poop I headed back towards the others and found them ready to split off into groups, Chloe, Jackson and I headed upstairs while Abe and Jamie would go downstairs. I saw the look on Jamie's face and told her to trade me spots which she did willingly giving me a look of thanks as they walked away.

Abe and I found our way down to the basement where he began to attempt to fix the gnawed through wiring. I held my flashlight up over his shoulder so he could see what he was doing, "So what type of food do you like best?" I asked Abe making conversation while he clipped some wiring. "You are asking me about the food I like when we are in a basement with no lighting and possibly a thousand man eating rats?" Abe asked with a chuckle. I grinned, "Well I could be asking you would you rather questions." I said. "What is that?" Abe asked curiously. I smirked this time, "It's a game where someone asks you would you rather? And then gives you two or three choices and you have to pick what you would rather do out of the three." I replied. "I enjoy all food, as long as it is eaten in the company of my friends and family." Abe replied. I watched him fix the wiring, "For me it's chocolate." I replied causing Abe to laugh as he finished fixing the wiring and turned on the lights. We walked back up to the first floor and Abe decided to check the trap he had set upon finding a rat he put on gloves to get it out and I got the bag that we were going to put in in ready.

I bit my lip to keep from laughing as Abe talked to the rat like it was a pet and not a creature that would devour him at any given second. "Hey!" Jackson said from behind us, causing me to glance behind me with surprise, _"You are not keeping yourself alert!"_ I mentally chastised myself as Chloe and Jamie came around behind me. "It's worse than we thought." Jamie said as they all moved towards Abe who was still crouched down and me. "You got one?" Chloe asked sounding surprised. "Yes. A male." Abe said as he turned towards me, I leaned down and held the bag open so he could put the rat in it. "Okay now we just need a female." Jackson said sounding optimistic. "Okay at the risk of this sounding overly girly this is all really, really, really disgusting." Jamie said moving away from me her face scrunched up. I laughed, "Oh come on Jamie it's not that bad." I said as I tightened the strings on the bag to close it. "At least you didn't find it in the toilet bowl." I added causing Abe to laugh and Jackson to try and stifle his laugh while Chloe and Jamie gave me looks of horror and disgust.

I explored four of the nearest rooms looking for any evidence of the exterminator who's vehicle was still parked outside of the hotel while Jackson called the Sheriff to report the situation. I entered the main room just as Jackson spoke up, "Come on the sooner we find a female rat the sooner we can get out of here." Jackson said. We stuck in a large group as we began to explore the rest of the hotel in search of a female rat, I handed Abe the bag with the male rat in it so my hands were free as we searched. When we got to the third floor the lights suddenly went off causing all of us to stiffen and quickly get out our flashlights or phones. "It's alright my patch job must not have held." Abe said calmly. We took only a few more steps and the power came back on causing Abe to exclaim, "Perhaps it worked better than I thought." We all continue walking, Chloe and I entered a room together while the other three were still in the hall. I heard what sounded like an elevator ding and peeked my head back out into the hallway, "How close was the Sheriff?" I asked Jackson just before the doors to the elevator opened and hundreds of rats spilled out.

Chloe and I stepped back into the room and shut the door, immediately I began to assess the room for exits. After waiting a few minutes I checked my phone intending to send Jamie a text to make sure she was okay and let her know that we were however I didn't have service so I gave up that idea. When we were ready to take a gamble I opened the door and found the hallway clear, "Were good. Lets move out." I said keeping my voice low not wanting to risk being on the opposite end of another rat hunt. "Okay we should look for the others." Chloe replied in a hushed tone as well. I nodded in agreement and we began to make our way quietly as we could through the halls checking each room. Upon going through the plastic coverings to one room I saw a uniform checking the body of a guy wearing an exterminators brand overalls. Chloe was right behind me and upon her slightly louder entrance the uniform looked up and saw breathing a sigh of relief. "Chloe." The woman said standing up to greet us, "So much for the coroner's theory that the rats don't eat people." She said as Chloe stepped forward to get a closer look at the dead body. "Yes and we need to find something better then rat traps." Chloe replied. Then the other woman's gaze fell on me, "Hi I'm Sheriff Bowman, you can call me Becky." She said holding out her hand, I shook it while replying, "My names Jupiter." Done with the pleasantries I knelt-down beside the body and took the flame thrower off of it, "This should do it." I said.

I put on the flame-thrower gear and we began to move I glanced out a nearby window and saw three figures moving towards the basement access. "Hey Chloe, Becky I see them come on." I said moving at a fast clip down the stairs, "Did they never watch horror movies as kids? You never go into creepy places without proper backup!" I muttered under my breath in Russian as the three of us hurried to catch up with Abe, Jamie and Jackson. We entered the basement area as quietly as we could listening for any sounds as we moved forwards, I was going first because I had the flame thrower. I rounded a corner and saw a door, behind it I heard hundreds of rats squeaking and bruxing. "Guys?" Chloe hollered out, "Chloe stay out of here!" Jackson's voice hollered back from behind a door. I kicked the door open and entered the room, immediately turning on the flame thrower to get rid of the rats on the left side first. "Queens. Get the Queens!" Jackson hollered pointing back behind him. I stepped forward alone as Chloe and Becky went over to the other three, "Get out of here!" I hollered as I got ready to roast the rat Queens. "Go go go go go!" I heard Jackson holler from behind me as I stepped closer to the rat Queen. Immediately the other rats began to run towards me trying to chase me off or kill me and I raised the flamethrower burning and killing as many of them as I could.

After I was sure that I had gotten all the rat Queens I backed out of the burning room and ran up the steps out into the fresh salt tinged air. After giving my statement and the flamethrower gear to one of the officers I waited away from them near the road while I had a smoke. "Hey ready to go?" Jamie asked coming up alongside of me. I laughed and let my cigarette dangle in my mouth as I through my right arm over her shoulder, "I was thinking maybe one day we can vacation here." I replied. Jamie elbowed me in the gut while the other three laughed as we walked away. We unanimously agreed to leave on the ship that night instead of sleeping in a hotel on the Island and made it back to Boston as the sun was rising. Chloe got a call from Mitch who said he had something important that he needed to tell us all face to face. I wanted to get a shower, change clothes and get a coffee and breakfast but decided that one out of four wasn't bad so we stopped at Starbucks before continuing to meet Mitch.

Upon getting to him after I handed him the coffee I had gotten for him he proceeded to tell us what he had been up to. Apparently, his niece, Clementine who is ten is dying of a disease that Raiden Global has the medicine for. He had made a deal with Raiden to exchange the Mother Cell for the medicine but saw the guy who had put their small team together working at Raiden Global and therefore had decided to come clean with us. I heard Jamie exclaim in outrage about him and I turned towards her, "You would have done the same thing if it would have been our mother." I said evenly. Jamie gave me a look but didn't refute my allegation. "So you did it?" Chloe said giving him a look of disbelief and scorn. "You traded the Mother Cell for the medicine."

Mitch looked affronted but also accepting of the scorn as he looked around while digging into the bag he had with him, "No. I didn't." He said as he held up the Mother Cell as proof before quickly shoving it back into his bag. "But you almost did." Jackson said. "Yeah." Mitch flippantly exclaimed, "I almost did. For my niece."

"We're here trying to do this trying to come up with a solution for everything and you would just give it away like that?!" Jackson exclaimed. "Look not to take away from his betrayal of your trust's but shouldn't we be focusing on the fact that the dude who brought ya'll together is working for the company that everything is coming from and coincidentally you all are trying to expose?" I asked sipping on my Maple Vanilla Pumpkin Spice extra-large Latte. "Maybe he had a good reason to be there." Abe said. "Oh get serious, I saw his face trust me." Mitch replied. Chloe spoke up indignantly, "You're asking us to trust you?!"

"I'm asking you to call my character into questioning at a later date. Delavane was not a Raiden because it was bring your shadowy Interpol Agent to the office day. He was there because he works there." Mitch said trying to convince us. "Did he see you?" Chloe asked Mitch who nodded. Chloe scoffed, "This is bad." Abe spoke up then, "So your saying the company that put us together is the same company that we are trying to take down?" I rolled my eyes, _"Hello people that's what I just said not three minutes ago!"_ I thoughts as I took another sip of my Latte. "It appears that way." Mitch replied. "But why? Why would Delavane put us together if there was even a chance of us uncovering the truth?" Abe asked not willingly to trust Mitch completely so soon after the discovery of his almost betrayal.

Chloe's phone rang just then and she walked away to answer it leaving the rest of us. I plopped down beside Mitch who had been sitting as the rest of us crowded him in a circle. "You missed some freaky moments with rats." I told Mitch conversationally while the other three just glared at him trying to process things. There was a moment of silence when Mitch looked at me his eyes telling me his thanks for my acceptance when Jackson spoke up, "So what else Mitch?" Mitch sighed a little, "What else what?" He asked tiredly. "What else are you lying to us about?" Jackson replied. Mitch turned his gaze onto Jackson and I could feel the tension growing when Jamie spoke up, "Okay so the Mother Cell can it really be used to make a cure?"

Mitch nodded, "Yes. Theoretically it can be used to reverse the mutation." Jamie raised a disbelieving eyebrow and replied, "Theoretically?"

"I believe that if we introduce the Mother Cell into the DNA of a mutated animal we could possibly synthesize a cure. But here's the problem in order to do that we need an animal who has mutated and has not been exposed to the Mother Cell." Mitch said.

"Does such an animal even exist?" Abe asked, "Every animal that we've come into contact with has been mutated because of Raiden."

"Even if there is how would we possibly find it?" Jackson asked. "There are infected animals on every continent."

"I know. It's like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles. In every country on Earth." Mitch said, "But without that needle we don't have a cure."

There was silence as we all mulled that over trying to figure things out. Then Chloe came over, "We have to go." She said looking around us, I had been scanning the area constantly since Mitch had looked so spooked earlier and found her movements something that would definitely tip off anyone who was watching us. "What happened?" Abe asked for all of us. "That was my colleague at the DGSE. The FBI has issued a warrant for my arrest. Jamie's to." Chloe answered as she began to move, grabbing her bag off of the concrete beside me. "Ben Shaffer." Jamie said knowingly. "That's the guy who was trying to kill you right?" I asked Jamie who nodded in answer to my question while speaking to Chloe, "I'm so sorry Chloe."

Chloe shook her head as she continued to scan the area, "There's nothing to apologize for. It's only a matter of time before they connect the rest of you. We have to go guy's." She said.

"Whoa whoa wait hold on. Go where? Huh? If the FBI is after us, If Delavane works for Raiden where are we gonna go?" Jackson asked. "Right now let's hit a bar, I have a friend who will let us lay there until we find out how to find the animal we need for the cure." I said standing up and pulling my cell-phone out of my jacket pocket. The five followed me and I couldn't help but compare them to a herd of frightened zebra's following a lioness to a watering hole.

"Hey Iceman I'm bringing some friends for a party. Special invit only." I told my friend, the bar's owner knowing he would have the place cleared for us. "Okay guy's give me your phone's and any other electronical device you have." I said already having stripped the battery out of my phone and after taking the SIM card out I broke the circuit board and tossed them into a metal garbage can next to me. I did the same thing for all of their phones before setting a timed fire in the garbage can and going through the back alley ways to avoid any camera's. I had them wait inside an alleyway while I called an acquaintance that I knew lived in Boston and had him bring me six special burners. After paying him off I went back to the others, "Okay any calls you make keep under two minutes these are special but they aren't miracle workers." I said handing out the phones. "From now on we pay cash for everything and no more contact with family or friends." Chloe said as we walked to the bar. "Yeah that's not going to happen. At least not for me." Mitch said. "And why is that?" Chloe demanded. "Because I have to get these meds to Clem that's why. And FBI or not, I'm bringing 'em to her." Mitch shot back.

Siren's began to whirl close to us and I saw everyone stop moving and look guiltily towards the Police car that was now coming down next to us, "Keep moving!" I said wanting to smack them for being so obvious. "Alright guy's, stop just stop. This isn't going to work okay? We can't just be reactive to this thing, we gotta get out in front of it. Now we've been together for a couple of months as a team, most of us anyway, and were going pretty good." Jackson said I interrupted him, "Two more blocks to the bar keep moving…..Jackson do you have that list that I heard about. The one that the guy who gave us the Mother Cell had with Raiden's products and destination's on it?" I asked thinking furiously. "Yeah." Jackson said. "Good. We are going to need it." I said as I started to walk again. I heard Jackson talking and the others were agreeing but I was more concentrated on the surroundings then worrying about the plan that was being concocted behind my back. Upon reaching the bar, Mitch and Abe took his car to get the meds to Clem, Jackson and Chloe went to have a talk with Delavane at his home address which was easy to find and Jamie stayed with me to call a reporter friend of hers although she did it from outside the bar while I tossed back a few beers and exchanged stories with Bobby or the Iceman as he like to be called.

A few old friends came by the bar as Iceman had told them that I was in town and I talked with them and tossed back some shots while Jamie caught up with Chloe and Jackson who came back to the bar. Finally knowing I reached my alcohol limit if I wanted to be able to properly function I slipped away from my friends and towards Jamie, Chloe and Jackson. Stopping to un-pin a world map that Bobby had hanging on the wall, stepping down and over to them I laid the map down on the pool table. "Okay that notebook what's his face gave you, start reading out the places." I told Jackson while lifting a red pen from Chloe's pocket without her knowledge until I pulled the lid off with my teeth and held the now empty shot glass in one hand and the red pen in the other. "His name was Leo Butler and I have his ledger." Jamie said her tone disapproving. "What are you thinking?" Jackson asked me. "Mitch said that we need a mutated animal that hasn't been exposed to the Mother Cell. Butler has a list of places where Raiden Global's products were used. If we can find a place where Radien's products were not used but where there has been reports of strange animal activity then-" "Then we can find the animal we need to make the cure." Jackson said interrupting me. I nodded and we exchanged smiles before getting down to business.

We were about half-way through the map when it was time to meet with Jaime's reporter friend. "I'll keep a lookout." I told the other three before we parted. I watched and saw an older looking man sneak into the building after determining that he was alone I crept in after him. I came quietly around the corner and saw him pointing a gun at Jamie, Chloe, Jackson and some other guy who I assumed to be Jamie's friend. I heard the older guy say, "In over twenty years of law enforcement I've only discharged my weapon three times-" As he pointed his gun towards Jamie, I needed no other reason to press my gun to the back of his neck. "You keep pointing that thing at my sister and that will be your legacy." I stated calmly cocking my gun and nudging him with the cool barrel. "Who are you?" The guy asked his hands already out to his sides. "What your background check not turn me up?" I taunted him from behind before turning serious, "Place your weapon on the ground slowly and kick it away from you now." I said, I saw a tell-tell sign that he was going to try and get the drop on me and pulled out my second gun shooting it into the ceiling as a warning, "You try that stunt your thinking of and I'll put it in your four main joints before you can say, Rambo." I warned. He put his weapon down and kicked it away, "Chloe get your weapon, everyone out of here now. Except you Mr. I'm gonna guess FBI. You are going to stay with me." I said, Chloe took her weapon and I rolled my eyes mouthing 'I'm not gonna kill him' to Jamie who let out a relieved sigh as they all left the building.

"Your not going to get away with this you know." The FBI guy said. I laughed sarcastically at that, "So you think yourself the hero huh? Let's see what internal affairs thinks of that and your friend." I replied before clocking him with the butt of my gun and laying him gently down on the concrete floor. I saw some leaves and old rags in some boxes in the corner and dumped them over him, using a broom to mix them up so anything that could have been transferred from me would be well hidden. Then I left the building and we drove away, "So exactly how long were you planning on making us wait to rescue us?" Jamie asked me. "I had to make sure there was no backup and upon realizing that he was emotionally unstable I had to enter quietly and fast so you didn't give me away in time for him to turn around and shoot me." I replied laying back on the seat. "Yes, the answer to the silent question yall are giving me yes. He's still alive he's just a little preoccupied right now. Also I put a bug in a friends ear, she owes me a favor so that FBI is now under investigation for taking bribes from various large corporation's including Radien. The main FBI agent of their focus being Ben Shaffer." I said closing my eyes as we drove.

We ended up going to Mitch's niece's house and I learned that the woman who was now Mitch's niece's step-mother was an ex-girlfriend of his. Cue lot's of drama that I didn't want a part of so I went outside for a smoke and ended up chain-smoking the last ten cigarettes I had left. Putting out the last stub I found myself grabbed by Mitch who exclaimed, "Leopards." While the rest came out smiling to, "So where to?" I asked. "Zambia, Africa." Was the answer


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone! Thanks for the follows and favorites and the two reviews! Here is the next chapter to this story. Sorry it took me so long to start writing this fic again, I just lost my inspiration after my last laptop crashed and took all of my written chapters with it. I'm not sure of the right name of the restaurant I know that there is definitely 'erfish' in it so I improvised. Enjoy and review.**

 **CHAPTER FIVE**

I was sitting in the very back of the red SUV while Jackson drove and Mitch sat in the front passenger seat with Jamie, Abe and Chloe sitting in the backseat. I was quiet happy with my seat as I got the nice space to myself, bar that of our various backpacks which took up some space.

"Look I don't want to be a buzzkill but it's about 7,000 miles to Zambia. It's gonna to take more than a Police scanner and some backroads to get us there." Mitch said. I snickered as Abe replied, "You're right…don't be a buzzkill. One thing at a time."

"Hey, listen. Do you guy's hear that?" Jamie asked rolling down her window, I moved up onto my knees and came up right behind her, looking out her window as well, listening. The birds sounded strange, like a grating kind of scream. Not something I had heard from any kind of bird before.

"Yup. We've been hearing it all day. Different species of birds all making the exact same noise." Mitch said. I hummed quietly in thought as I stared out Jamie's window at the birds. Jamie rolled up her window as Abe began to speak, "Mitch thinks the birds are developing a common tongue."

"You think the eagles can talk to the finches." Chloe said.

"Can talk to the skua, can talk to the black-headed grosbeak. There are maybe 300 billion birds in the world. Imagine if they could talk to each other." Mitch said.

I felt an ominous chill travel down my spine at the thought, "If that's true, they could send a message around the world and back." Jamie said. I began to chew on my bottom lip as I thought of the damage that the birds had already done with just one species, just imagining if they coordinated with other species of birds the destruction and death that would occur.. I was brought out of my thoughts by Mitch speaking up, "Let's just figure out a way to get to Zambia. Quick."

No one spoke again as we drove the only sound was the strange screeching sound the birds were making. After two hour's we stopped to get food and to let Abe change the back driver side tire which had went flat. The rest of the group stayed at a small restaurant called Wonderfish to eat and work out a plan of movement. I promised Jamie I would be back within the hour and left there were some things I needed especially since we were now by all accounts fugitives in the eyes of the FBI.

As soon as I split off from Jamie and the others I made my way to my private safe house, I had several set up worldwide and I always kept them stocked and ready. "A good thing considering what I've gotten myself into." I muttered to myself as I slipped into the old building and down into the basement. After getting through all of my security measures I entered the large room which had only the bathroom in an enclosed space.

I pulled out my duffel bag from the large hidden safe in the wall and checked out my weapons. I had to replace the Glock that I had shot into the ceiling at the warehouse with the FBI agent, knowing better then to get caught with anything that could tie me to what would be called 'an assault on a Federal Agent' and possibly, 'an attempt on his life'. Shrugging those thoughts away as I didn't have time for them I stripped down and then began to place various knives, throwing stars then I pulled on a black tank-top and put on my special-order strap that held my twin daggers in an upside-down position in the center of my back as well as two fully loaded Smith and Wesson's up just above my shoulder blades with three extra clips on both sides.

Then I strapped a small revolver to my left calf before pulling on a pair of black and green combat pants. I pulled on my black military boots and tied them quickly before slipping a covered small throwing knife in each of them on the inside of my ankles. I opened another safe, this one hidden under my bed and pulled out the TeleDart RD706 with a small case of animal darts knowing Jackson or Abe would like it. After pulling on an overly large hooded zip up sweater to hide my weapons for now I put two daggers in the small pockets I had made for them that connected to the hand pockets on the outside of the sweater.

I put several daggers and small hand gun's as well as some fireworks, flash grenades, teargas grenades and flares into a duffel bag, wrapping them all in various articles of clothing that I would need and share with Jamie and Chloe if they needed clothes.

Just before I left I remembered to grab my backpack from the bathroom, I called it my 'ghost' bag because it held everything I would need to disappear for several months at a time. Finally ready I left locking it up and heading back to Wonderfish to meet up with Jamie and the others. I got there just in time to see everyone starting to climb back into the SUV.

I just got close enough to hear Jackson say, "Let's go to Clearwater." I gently put my bags into the trunk of the SUV while asking, "Why?"

"In Clearwater, there's a way to get back to Africa." Jackson replied turning towards me as I hopped into the trunk and shut the back after me.

"What's in Clearwater?" Jamie asked.

"Oh no, you're thinking about Ray aren't you?" Abe said sounding disturbed. I felt my eyebrows raise involuntarily at the disgust that was put into the name 'ray'.

"Yes I am." Jackson said looking proud of himself but in a bit of pain at the same time.

"No. Not that. Not Ray." Abe replied shaking his head his eyes seemed to plead with Jackson to be joking.

"Who's Ray?" Jamie and I asked at the same time, curious about the person.

Abe and Jackson exchanged a glance before Abe sighed and shook his head, "He's a nightmare."

"So I guess were going to Clearwater, Florida then?" I asked pulling a cup of fries out of one of the bags that had been set down in the back seat.

Once we reached Florida it was decided that Jamie, Mitch and myself would book two twin bed room's in a hotel and wait for Chloe, Abe and Jackson to go find this Ray guy and see if he would help us. As we waited I got bored with waiting and went out to buy myself a few packs of cigarettes and a few more Zippo lighters and some lighter fluid just in case I ran out.

When I got back to the room I entered to hear, " – interfering with poachers. That's how Abe and I met him." Jackson said. I put my things into my backpack leaving out only one pack of cigarettes as I already had a Zippo lighter on hand.

"He's crazy." Abe said from where he was leaning against the door that connected the two rooms we had gotten.

"He's not crazy. He's…he just….he's just not uncrazy." Jackson said. I walked up behind Jamie and tossed my arms around her shoulders leaning against her back as I smirked at Jackson, "Sounds like someone I would love to meet." I said.

"His group calls themselves the Free Animal Rights Militia." Chloe said as she read from her laptop."

"F.A.R.M. That's …. cleaver." Mitch said sarcasm dripping from his words and facial expression.

"I've dealt with these kinds of people before, they're zealots. Don't know the first thing about animal welfare." Mitch continued as he opened a beer and took a drink.

"Not to mention some of us are already wanted by the Police. Maybe committing another crime doesn't help our case." Jamie said. I nodded in agreement with her words before I stood up straight and went over to grab a beer for myself before plopping down on the couch.

"Well I agree but we've got to get out of here and we've got to get out of here fast." Jackson said. I took a swig of my beer as I waited for the final conclusion to come.

"I admit okay? Ray…ray can be a bit of a loose cannon. Okay maybe more then a bit but everything he has ever done has been for the animals." Jackson said as we all contemplated what to do.

"Look, I know desperate times call for desperate measures .. but this isn't desperate. This is ..reckless." Abe said trying to convince us.

"I understand your reservations Abraham but I'm with Jackson. I don't really think we have a better option." Chloe said.

"Look, no offense Chloe but you don't know Ray Endicott." Abe said. I choked on the sip of beer I had just taken.

"Did you say Endicott?" I asked coughing a bit as the beer went down the wrong tube. Abe nodded and I stood up, "I'm gonna go…have a smoke." I said leaving the room with my beer in hand feeling slightly dazed. "Seriously Ray Endicott…oh irony how you come full circle." I muttered under my breath as I walked down the hall and walked up the stairs to the roof finishing off my beer halfway up the steps.

Lost in my thoughts I reacted instinctively to the threat of someone approaching me from behind. I had them down on the rooftop with a knife to their throat while my other hand pulled their head up by their hair exposing their neck to my blade as I had them down face first on the rooftop. I nearly nicked their neck when their identity registered in my mind at the same time they said my name, "Jupiter!"

"Mitch. Sorry I just…well I'm a bit on edge." I said standing up and putting away the knife holding out my hand as he rolled over to help him up. He accepted it and I pulled him to his feet, "Well at least I know never to go against you." He said rubbing his neck. I gave him a grin and then walked back over to where I had been standing, pouting a bit at my unfinished cigarette had fallen to the rooftop. I smooshed it before putting it in my empty beer can and decided against lighting another.

"So what's been decided?" I asked having a feeling that I already knew what had happened.

"The Police put our names and pictures out on TV so we've decided that our only option is to help this Ray guy." Mitch replied taking a sip of his beer.

"Oh." I said nodding as I leaned against the rooftop wall threading my hands together as I looked out at the city sights, not really seeing them.

"So…you know this guy? Endicott?" Mitch asked curiously. I let my head fall forward as I let out a deep sigh, "Yeah.." I replied softly.

Mitch didn't press it and after a few minutes we went back down to our rooms where I was told what was happening and then asked how exactly I knew Ray Endicott. Sighing I pinched the bridge of my nose trying to stave off the headache that always came when I thought about Endicott. "Really all I can tell you is that when he was a Marine he…made some choices that were questionable and had repercussions that I was personally involved in stopping. We met once and I put him in the hospital. We were both wrote up for the incident however my superiors agreed with me and my actions as his actions had caused…several things to happen…..needless to say it's probably best if he doesn't know about me until the last possible minute otherwise he might not help us no matter what." I said.

There was silence for a minute before it was unanimously agreed that while everyone else would go meet up with Ray I would wait for Jamie to call me and tell me where to meet up with them when they were done helping Ray. I left my duffel bag and backpacks in the SUV and pulled my hood up to cover my face as I took a walk waiting for the call I knew wouldn't be coming for hours.

Twelve hours later on my way to meet up with Jamie and the others I was sporting white gauze wrapped neatly over three additional tattoos, a pair of full red lips with a white skull and bones in the center of the full lips which was placed on a horizontal tilt on my right shoulder blade. The second tattoo was the Warrior Ethos which I had placed on my left bicep in black ink in cursive, each line starting with a capital letter and ending with a period before moving down. The last tattoo was a black, silver and white tiger that had turquoise eyes that held purple flames standing over several piled-up skeletons it's bared teeth had a touch of dark red on them, it was on my right bicep and it had taken the longest to get done the tattoo artist would have preferred to do it over a few days however I paid him well to do it within a few hours so he didn't complain.

Jamie met me outside of the abandoned warehouse and explained what had happened before leading me into the building and down to the others. As I walked down the steps behind Jamie I heard Jackson saying,

"We had no other options, Mitch. None."

"People got shot, Jackson. By masked gunmen. We were among those masked gunmen." Mitch said, I could hear his turmoil through his voice.

"Well at least you got your electroporator." Jackson replied with a tight half smile on his face.

"Ray's still out huh?" Jamie asked as we walked over to them where they standing at a table close to Ray's sleeping body.

"Yep and I say we leave him." Mitch replied zipping up the bag he had been packing.

"We're not leaving the guy okay? He's hurt." Jackson said gesturing to where Ray was laying bandaged up.

"I'm a veterinarian. I didn't take the Hippocratic Oath." Mitch said before he turned and walked away. I felt my lips twitch as I smirked at his comment, however not wanting to draw any ire from Jamie I kept my face as straight as I could as she looked at Jackson first and then at me. I knew that look on her face and held up my hands,

"It's hard enough being a fugitive in a group never mind taking care of a wounded guy who's an outsider of the group." I said before turning and walking up the stairs close behind Mitch. I nodded to Chloe upon seeing her and she gave me a nod back as she and the others finished packing up their stuff.

As we walked around the front of a large truck Jamie spoke up, "Are we really just gonna leave him here?"

"Could put a bow on him. Leave him in front of a police station." Mitch said I silently agreed with that idea as I walked in-between Mitch and Jamie as we all spread out in a vertical line as we walked towards the SUV. I was a few steps ahead of the others as I wanted to make sure everything in my duffel bag and backpacks was still untouched. Behind me I heard,

"We'll call an ambulance once we get to the airplane. Then we'll call the zoo, tell 'em where they can find their animals." Jackson said as I searched inside of my sweater pockets and pulled out the small package of mini peppermint paddies I had picked up while waiting for Jamie's call. I opened the trunk of the SUV and zipped open my duffel bag immediately starting to check everything out as I opened the package and popped one in my mouth, putting it under my tongue to let the chocolate melt a bit.

"And to use extreme caution when approaching them." Chloe said adding it to the end of Jackson's sentence as they got closer and I found everything to be in place in my duffel bag.

An instinct called me to pull out one of the Glocks I had hidden in my duffel bag I pulled it out and cocked it just as I heard the annoying voice of one Ray Endicott speak up.

"Hold on everybody."

I glanced up staying hidden behind the SUV as I waited for the opportune moment to make my presence known as Jamie, Mitch, Jackson and Chloe turned around to meet Ray head on.

Jackson spoke up, "Seriously, Ray? What is it with you guy's and guns?"

"Well my charm only gets me so far pal. Where's Anissa?" Ray asked getting closer to the four I kept my breathing even as I watched and listen to everything transpire.

"She's with Abe. They went to the plane." Jackson said.

"Good. Let's go get 'em then. It is my plane, after all. " Ray replied waving the gun in a gesturing motion.

"Fine. Come on." Jackson replied and everyone started to turn to head back towards me and the SUV.

"No, no, no. No. The plan abides. We're taking the animals." Ray said.

Chloe spoke up, "We can't."

"Sure we can." Ray replied emphasizing his words.

Chloe shook her head, "No, it's impossible. Something is wrong with them."

"And we can make it right by setting them free. So get in the truck, and let's go to Africa." Ray said his voice starting to get louder as he became more emotionally unhinged as his pain was getting to him. Not wanting him to have a weapon near my sister regardless but especially when emotionally unstable.

The Glock raised as I peeked my head around the SUV and called out, "Ray shut up, give the gun to Jackson and either forget about the animals or drive them yourself and risk dying and killing them to as well as other innocent people when you faint of blood loss."

"Menhit?" Ray called out. I held the Glock up steadily and stepped out from behind the SUV.

"Give the gun to one of the four in front of you now Endicott." I replied firmly, keeping my emotions on a tight leash as I kept my focus solely on Ray. Ray's eyes told of his anger and determination however as he knew he was wounded and I had a clear shot of him he handed his gun over to Jackson.

"Look, we already got the animals let's just take them along as well." Jamie said. With the gun safely out of Ray's reach I lowered my own and shrugged.

"Whatever you guys want to do is fine with me." I replied.

In the end Jackson, Chloe and Ray rode in the truck with the animals while Jamie and Mitch rode with me in the SUV which I drove to the airport to meet up with Abe.

"Sooo Menhit?" Mitch asked as we drove, I gave him a smile and a side glance,

"I was wondering how long it would take you to ask." I replied before turning onto the rode Jamie instructed me to turn onto.

"Menhit, it's the codename I had in the Seals. It's an Egyptian lioness depicted goddess name. It means she who massacres." I said answering Mitch's earlier question.

"Ah." Mitch replied and then I turned the radio on keeping the volume down enough so I could hear when Jamie gave me instructions as I drove towards the airport.

Jackson, Chloe and Ray were right behind us but suddenly they began to swerve around catching my attention. "Jamie call Chloe now. Somethings wrong." I said watching the truck behind us from my rearview mirror.

Immediately Jamie called Chloe and reported, "The animals are doing something, moving around making the truck go out of line. They don't have control over it!"

"Tell them to stop and get out now! They can ride with us to the airport. Forget the truck and animals!" I said as I began to slow down, Jamie told Chloe and I saw the truck began to stop behind us while Police sirens began to approach.

I pulled to a stop and watched as Chloe, Jackson and Ray hurried out of the truck, somehow the door had come loose and the animals had started to escape the truck, Ray seeing that we couldn't get the animals started running towards the SUV along with Chloe and Jackson. They hopped in and I took off, passing car's as I hurried us towards the airport knowing the police wouldn't be far behind.

"Thankfully the trucks pulled sideways blocking the rode and the police will be busy with the animals for a little while." I said as I speed way past the speed limit getting us to the airport in record timing. We all jumped out and grabbed our things from the back as we hoofed it over to the airplane when we were within range of the plane Jackson began to holler, "Go! Go!"

We all ran up the plane and Jackson hollered to Abe who was piloting us, "Hey! Go! Go!"

"Hold on!" Abe hollered as the plane began to move.

"Do you know how to fly a plane?" Abe asked me as I went up to the front with him.

"Yeah but don't ask me for a license." I told him as I sat down in the co-piolet seat and after putting my duffel bag and two backpacks at my feet I began to help him out.

"No! NO!" I heard Chloe yell from behind as we started moving rapidly down the airstrip getting ready to take off.

"Chloe!" I heard Jackson holler at the same time Ray hollered, "Anissa!"

I didn't know what happened until we were up in the air and on our way to Africa, Jamie came up beside me and Abe and told us in a quiet voice what had happened, Abe and I exchanged a glance and then continued our work in silence.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again everyone! Here's chapter six hope ya'll enjoy. Make sure to leave me a review and let me know what you thought.**

 **CHAPTER SIX**

 **ZAMBIA; AFRICA:**

Halfway through the flight Jackson had told Ray the reason for our trip to Africa and Ray agreed to help us find the leopards, saying he had a friend who could hook us up with everything we needed. I wasn't on board with being near a person Ray knew however we did need information and things so I didn't speak my complaints. When we landed the plane in a field by a small building that was obviously an off the path smuggling airway I pulled off my large oversized sweater as the heat was getting to me and I didn't want to get heat-stroke.

I had Mitch help me change the gauze on my tattoos as I couldn't reach them as the others started to get ready to leave the plane. Thankfully Mitch was fast and we joined up with them not two minutes later. As we walked towards the building I stayed at the back of the group, behind Ray keeping an eye on him as we was holding a tranq gun that he had found on the plane.

Mitch spoke up, "I'm a little envious of Chloe right now. Nice air-conditioned cell." He said sounding truly envious causing me to smile and bit my lip to keep my agreement from coming out.

"My man here in Zambia's the real deal. He'll have the intel on leopard sightings, and he'll outfit the lot of us. This is a rough bush. We need a lot more than a tranq gun and a few Glocks." Ray said, the start of his voice causing my smile to vanish as I glared at the back of his head.

Jamie turned her head back to glance at me as Ray had spoke and I gave her a reassuring smile, which she returned before turning around to face front.

"Thanks Ray." Jackson said, he was the only one in the group who actually spoke to Ray when it wasn't necessary.

"You got it. Look, I'm with you now and I aim to help, all right? Because? Come on say it for me sport." Ray said prodding Mitch who sighed deeply before replying.

"Shut up."

"No, one more time. Honestly I can't get enough of it." Ray said.

I had to smirk as Mitch finally gave in to Ray's prodding and repeated the sentence that had caused Ray to decide to help us in the first place.

"The sooner we find the leopards, the sooner we save the world." Mitch said.

"Whew, beautiful." Ray replied before going quiet as we finished walking towards the small building. I decided to go around it to make sure there were no animal's or people waiting to ambush us while the other five went in. I head Jackson holler out, "Hello." As I moved around the building as fast and quietly as I could, a Glock in one hand as I was loaded down with my duffel bag and my two backpacks, one of which I was holding in the other hand.

After making sure the area was secure I entered the building to find the guy's and Jamie gathering supplies. Jamie came over to me as soon as I entered the building.

"Where's the guy Ray said would help us?" I asked not to surprised that I wasn't seeing another guy.

"He's...umm the leopards…neither of them made it." Jamie said nodding in a direction that I guessed two dead bodies lay.

"Oh." Was all I said before I started helping the guy's pack up water and food supplies, who knew how long our little trip would take.

"The car outside…you might find some keys on those bodies over there." Abe said nodding towards the same direction Jamie had.

"Are you serious?" Jamie asked him, I touched her shoulder softly, "I'll get them." I told her handing her my backpack which I had been carrying in my hand and walked over to the mauled bodies.

I crouched and began to pat down one of the bodies when Ray spoke up,

"They used all our ammo in the fight. Now all we got is this tranq gun and whatever Menhit…sorry Jupiter, has on her and in her bags." Ray said.

There was a brief few seconds of silence and then Jackson spoke up, "All right, let's do what we came here to do."

We packed up the vehicle and since there was barely enough room for five people in the vehicle as it was loaded up with bags and supplies I decided to sit on the roof. Jamie, not wanting to leave me alone or maybe just not wanting to be stuck between Ray and Mitch decided to join me on the roof. We sat beside each other Jamie faced forward and I faced behind just in case anyone or thing tried to surprise us from behind.

We neared a river and another vehicle a truck full of people had just drove off of the, there were several girl's voice's singing a song, I glanced over my shoulder at the vehicle but otherwise remained facing the back.

"I'll find out what's happening." Abe said, I heard both front doors open and then the back one's open as well. Abe was talking to one of the men from the truck in an African dialect that I didn't understand. Since everyone else was getting out of the vehicle I jumped down and the motioned for Jamie to jump, catching her and setting her on her feet gently before joining Mitch and Ray who were just shutting the back doors.

"So these leopards we're after, you think they started mutating before the other animals?" Ray asked Mitch.

"According too our research, yeah." Mitch replied.

"I buy that. Africa is the birthplace of civilization. Every great evolutionary leap started here." Ray replied.

I rolled my eyes but didn't say anything as I got Jamie's attention figuring this little break meant that we could work on her throwing arm, I had given her a few throwing knives which she concealed on her person with some tips from me however she wasn't very good at throwing them and hitting the intended target. I pulled out my oversized sweater which I had taken off in the plane and put it up on a tree before handing her the two daggers that I had forgotten in the sweater's pockets.

She had just thrown the knives for the fourth time when the sound of a vehicle starting caught my attention causing me to look backwards just in time to see the other vehicle drive by. Communicating with our eyes Jamie went to go see what information the driver had given while I went over and pulled out the two knives Jamie had thrown as well as the dagger I had used to hold the sweater in place by the hood.

"I'll have to remember not to where this if I don't want to get wet." I muttered to myself as I put the dagger back into its sheath on my back before grabbing the sweater and walking over to the others who were gathered around the hood of the vehicle where Abe was opening a map. There was a space in between Jamie and Mitch that I stepped up into to hear and see what was going on.

"Up here." Abe said pointing to a spot on the map.

"All right, so this is where he said their farm is.' Jackson said marking a spot on the map before pointing to another place further down.

'This is where the leopards attacked a few days ago, and this is where the airport is." Jackson said pointing to a third spot.

"It's totally random." Jamie said as we all looked at the three spots Jackson had marked.

"Yeah, you'd think they'd move in a clear direction." Mitch said.

"Unless random is a part of their plan." I said causing everyone to look at me, Jackson nodded in agreement.

"When an army wants to take an area, they attack in a haphazard fashion. It causes fear. Rumors of their next attack frightens people enough for them to leave before the army arrives." Abe said.

"Wait what are you telling me? That leopards are using military strategy?" Ray asked his disbelief clear.

"It's possible. They're working as a group. Means their thinking as a group." Mitch said.

"Well, glad we don't have any real guns then." Ray said giving me a meaningful look. I rolled my eyes and started towards the back of the vehicle, grabbing my one backpack and my duffel bag I walked back around to the front and set them on the hood. "Ray the only thing I'm willing to let you have is that dart gun, everyone else…take what you want." I said as I unzippered my backpack and duffel bag and stepped back.

Thanking the heavens that I had put all my underclothing into my second backpack along with a few flairs, a pair of binoculars, some glow in the dark sticks a few packs of jerky, several protein bars and three waters as well as all my Zippo's, lighter fluid and cigarettes that I wasn't carrying. _"I wouldn't want them going through that backpack."_ I thought was I watched everyone but Ray move towards my bags gingerly. Jamie started pulling clothes out and upon unwrapping two shirts she found a small revolver and two dozen bullets for it. That caused the guys to man up and they reached in as well starting to find the weapons that I had packed into my bags, the TeleDart RD706 with a small case of animal darts which Jackson took, the half a dozen throwing knives and four untraceable guns as well as ammo and the grenades.

"Seriously! You've been carrying grenades!" Jamie said holding up one gingerly, I sighed.

"Calm down Jamie. Their just flash bangs and tear gas." I replied taking it from her hand and putting it down beside the duffel bag. When everyone was done I put my clothes back into the duffel bag which now had a lot more room so I added everything from the backpack into the duffel bag and tossed the empty backpack into the back of the vehicle while I used the back tire as a ladder to put my duffel bag on-top of the vehicle roof.

Now that they were fully armed Jamie turned her attention back to the leopards.

"Uh, if the attacks are random, how are we gonna know where to look for them?" She asked.

"I have a feeling the leopards are going to find us." Abe said. I felt a chill at the truth in his words, we began to get back into the vehicle. Jamie decided to ride in it this time so I was going to ride on the top alone however Mitch took me to the side and asked me quietly to ride in the vehicle with them.

"Why?" I asked confused. Mitch looked behind me, I guess to make sure no one was watching before he leaned forward and put a quick kiss on my lips.

"Because I want to get to know you better." He replied awkwardly. I blinked as he rubbed the back of his neck before shrugging, "Sure why not." I replied.

We didn't get to talk a whole lot as Jackson drove and Abe sat upfront in the passenger side leaving Ray and Jamie in the back with Mitch and myself. Whenever I felt Ray's eyes on me I gave him a cold glare and stared him down until he looked away.

Suddenly Mitch spoke up, "What is that?" He asked pointing to something up out of my eye view. "Hanging in that tree?" He said continuing to point.

Jackson slowed the vehicle before stopping it and we all got out to look, I mentally said a quick prayer for the poor soul's as I saw at least five full bodies and several pieces of others laying strung throughout the tree.

Both Jackson and Ray were holding their dart guns at the ready as we all stared at the gruesome sight.

"The leopards." Jackson said looking around at the ground.

"Judging from these prints … I'd say a group of about eight or so." Jackson said as he moved forward a bit. I stayed where I was keeping my ears and eyes on full alert as I scanned the woods and grass around us not wanting to be caught unawares by any animal.

"I've never seen animals do anything like this to humans." Ray said, I could tell it was finally seeping into his brain that there was definitely something wrong with the animals like we had been telling him.

"We have." Mitch said from where he was standing right beside me, I felt his hand brush mine gently before I laced our fingers together, offering him some silent comfort as I knew the sight was getting to him.

"Hey these prints can't be more than a few hours old. That means were getting closer to the leopards." Jackson said from where he was crouched down.

"Their den may be around here." He said as he stood up.

"Closer? You want to get closer? That suddenly sounds like a really bad idea." Jamie said worry and a faint hint of fear in her voice.

"We want to find the cure, right? Let's go find those leopards." Jackson said moving back towards the vehicle.

I squeezed Mitch's hand once before letting it go as I walked back towards the vehicle keeping vigilant watch of our surroundings.

When we got in the vehicle again I found myself between Jamie and Mitch with Ray on the other side by himself as both Mitch and Jamie stayed closer to me. Jamie laid her head on my shoulder so I put my arm around her waist holding her close and giving her forehead a kiss while Mitch threaded our fingers together again. We were mostly silent as we drove till it started getting dark I napped on Mitch's shoulder just as Jamie napped on mine. Mitch woke me up when we stopped and I in turn woke Jamie up as we had stopped to make camp.

Knowing that animals could see in almost pitch black circumstance's and not wanting to test out how good my aim was in the dark I suggested we build several fire's around the center of our camp so we could see. Everyone agreed to my suggestion and we began to make fires around the center we had chosen for camp. One beside the vehicle so we could see it in case we needed to get in it during the middle of the night and eight in two circle like shapes four of them were only twenty-five feet away from us and the other four were thirty-five feet away from us.

Jamie had to go to the bathroom so after lighting up the last fire I went with her figuring I might as well go while we still had hand sanitizer and it wasn't completely dark. When we got back to the camp Jamie and Mitch went to work on one of the tent's while I went to set up another one. I couldn't help but snicker at them as they were completely confused about how to put the tent together. I finished mine and watched them for a minute debating on if I should help or just watch them keep trying.

Abe spoke to me distracting me from watching the two of them,

"Jupiter why does Ray call you Menhit?" Abe asked me curiously.

"When I was a Seal we went by codenames. Menhit was mine.. Anyway when I met up with Ray I was with two teammates and that's how they addressed me when they were trying to get me to leave. Ray never knew my real name until he heard ya'll call me by it." I replied holding my hands out near the fire a bit as the air started to cool down.

"What does it mean? Your Seal name?" Abe asked curiously. I tilted my head to the side a bit to see him.

"It means, she who massacres." I replied softly. I saw Abe's eyes widen a bit and I gave him a small grin, "You saw the scars that I had tattooed over on my back right? The claw marks that look like their bleeding?" I asked.

Abe nodded. "Yes, when we were in France at Chloe's." He replied.

"They were from a lioness, it happened when I was fifteen. When I was in BUDS training, a friend saw it he was from Egypt and had moved to the US when he was ten. He still remembered a story his grandmother use to tell him about an Egyptian goddess called Menhit who was said to be war goddess and depicted in a lioness human form. He began to call me Menhit and when we made it into the Seals it stuck." I said cracking my neck and shoulders.

"I to once went by another name." Abe said softly. I kept my eyes moving however I stayed quiet as he told me his story in a soft voice. I couldn't begin to imagine the pain he must have felt knowing that he had made a choice which had led to the death of his two younger brothers. When he finished his tale, we stood together in silence for a minute before I touched his arm softly, "Well now you have an extended family and we have gained an older brother." I told him with a smile which he returned before we went our separate ways.

I went around checking on all the fires before heading back into the center of the camp. When I got there, I put the sweater Jamie had used for target practice on the ground and sat down on it beside the fire. As I stared into the fire I began to be drawn into my past and was startled out of it when Mitch's voice spoke up from near-by.

"Six tranq darts. I hope Ray is as good a shot as he says he is." Mitch said.

"He is. Much as it pains me to say." Abe said from right next to me. There was a pause as the sounds of animals filtered throughout camp.

"I used to love the sound of nature." Mitch said.

"This is not how the bush should sound. Before, it was something beautiful. Now it's something entirely different." Abe said. I felt a chill from the air and stood up, pausing to stretch before I walked down to the vehicle and quickly and quietly climbed up onto the roof where my duffel bag was. Crouching down I unzipped it and quickly found a black hooded long-sleeve shirt that I pulled on then I grabbed a box of milk-duds that I had put in there from my backpack before re-zipping my duffel bag and walking back over towards the fire.

I got there just in time to hear Mitch say, "Give us some warning." To Jamie who was standing close beside him.

Unable to help myself I got right up behind him and leaned down whispering in his ear, "Warning."

"Holy!" Mitch said jumping up from his seat I grinned and saw my smile mirrored on Jamie and Abe's face.

"What you said give you warning." I said in answer to his accuse eyes before opening the box of milk duds and holding them out in a peace offering, "Milk-dud?" I asked.

After giving Mitch and Abe some I popped one into my mouth as Jamie asked me to go with her into the bush a little way's as she had to go to the bathroom. Abe offered the tranq gun to which I had held up the Glock I tucked in the waist of my pants accepting that with a nod he put the tranq gun back down beside him. I put another one into my mouth and offered Jamie some which she took a few and put them in her mouth as we walked away from the camp-sight.

"It's been a while since we've been alone." I commented. She nodded in reply as she found a good place to squat and broke a glow stick so it would light up the area around her.

"Oh here. These are safe for the environment so you can just leave it where you go." I said pulling out a small pack of wipes and handing them to her as well as a small thing of hand-sanitizer. Then after giving the bush behind her a good going through I turned around so she could have some privacy.

"It feels like it's been ages since I crashed in your apartment." I said remembering the day I had been planning to tell her I had retired from the Seals.

"Tell me about it. I can't believe how much has happened since then." Jamie said as she went, a soft growling noise and a rustling in the foliage caught my attention.

"Jamie if you can hurry it up. I'm a good shot but in close quarters a gun is not ideal." I said listening to the jungle around me, knowing that a leopard or another big cat could jump out at any time. A howl in the distance seemed to puncture my statement and seconds later Jamie came out of the tree's zipping her pants back up, and scrubbing her hands together.

"Thanks for the wipes and hand-sanitizer, I totally forgot to bring anything like that." Jamie said I smiled and put up my hand stopping her from handing it back, "I have more you keep those." I said as we started walking back to the camp sight.

Jamie went back to the tent while I went back over to the fire, time passed slowly and we stayed mostly quiet or talking in hushed whispers until it was time for Mitch and Abe to switch-out with Jackson and Ray. I had moved my sweater over towards where Mitch was sitting and had dozed off and on again leaning against his legs my Glock close by on the ground just in case.

Used to having little sleep and catching it where I could, I felt wide awake when Ray and Jackson started their watch and shared what was left of the milk-duds with them.

Not more than three hours later something defiantly began to circle us in the brush so Jackson woke up Abe, Mitch and Jamie while I had Ray's back as he crouched near the bush, close to where we had heard the movement. The tranq gun I had brought was in his hands while the other one was slung across his back just in case. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jackson and Abe each grab a home-made torch and come close to us.

"We just saw something zip by." Jackson said to the others, not bothering to keep his voice quiet as we were all awake now.

"Throw me that box of tranq darts will ya?" Ray said to Abe who bent down and picked it up before tossing it to Ray.

"If it is a leopard I can handle it." Ray said. I grabbed his arm causing him to look at me, "They are not like any leopard you've dealt with before." I warned him. He nodded and I let him go as he moved off into the bush I stepped back so I was near Jamie and Mitch who immediately made a hole between them that I seamlessly fit into. I held my Glock at the ready and noticed everyone holding one of the weapons I had outfitted them with at the ready as well. Even Jamie was holding her throwing knives as she refused a gun.

"Ray you stay here. We're safer together." Abe said.

"Right. I got this." Ray said confidently with a smirk before he continued to walk off into the darkened bush.

For several tense moments, there was nothing but animal noises and I wanted to immediately call out a command to circle up so none of our backs were exposed however before I could suggest such a thing Ray came back out of the bush.

"Nothing there. Looks like we live to die another day." Ray said just as a loud growl came from his right and a leopard slammed into him. I heard Jamie scream out, "Ray!" In shock as the leopard drug him into the jungle.

Immediately I took control of the situation. "Everyone in a circle around the center of the fire don't waste your bullets without a clear shot all the ammunition you have is all I brought with me." I said, everyone did as I said Jamie was on my right side and Mitch was on my left around the fire as we watched the leopards come out of the jungle and circle us.

"Jamie those glow sticks you have, bring 'em here." Jackson said causing Jamie to pause in her moving towards the fire enough to bend down and grab her glow sticks out of her backpack and walk towards Jackson. I had several clear shots however I didn't want to kill the leopards if I didn't truly have to so I didn't take any of the shots.

"Mitch behind you!" I heard Abe say and saw two leopards ganging up on Mitch, I reached down and pulled one of the daggers out of my boots and tossed it causing it to slam into the back leg of one of the leopards who snarled and backed off Mitch. Jackson must have done something as I heard him holler and then it was over, all of the leopards backed off and ran back into the bush.

"Come on, lets go." Jackson said starting towards the vehicle.

"Go? Go where?" Mitch asked.

"I tagged one of the leopards with a glow stick. We can track it." Jackson replied before turning and heading over to the bags near the fire, "Where are the keys?" He asked digging through them.

"Jackson, Ray had both tranq guns on him. We need a plan." Abe said trying to convince Jackson.

"We have a plan okay? This is it. We follow the leopards, that's our best chance." Jackson said.

"What else you guys want to do? You want to stay here and wait for them to come back? Come on." Jackson said moving once again towards the vehicle his backpack over his shoulder the keys to the vehicle in his hands.

"We do need to leave but first we need to re-pack the things we need the most." I said taking control before Jackson and Abe had a confrontation.

"Everyone grab your bag and or bags, we can leave the tent and the fires will burn out on their own. Let's grab the supplies we un-loaded and pack them back up so we can get moving while it's still dark." I said before starting to move to do just that. Everyone else started slowly to do as I said and then faster their minds no doubt still process the death of Ray and the coordinated attack of the leopards.

We were packed up within ten minutes and on the move following the faint trail of glowing green from the leopard that Jackson had tagged with the glow stick fluid.

"Hey right up there. Up ahead on the right. We're on the right track." Jackson said pointing out the glowing trail. Everyone remained silent as Abe continued to drive staying as close to the trail as he could.

"Maybe somebody should say something about him." Mitch said finally breaking the silence.

"..Ray I mean…nobody should die without words being spoken right?" Mitch said again causing me to realize with surprise that we were holding hands. _"When did this happen?"_ I wondered curiously but shrugged it off as Abe spoke up.

"Ray was…obnoxious, loud and stubborn. But he was passionate, and he care more about animals on this Earth then any man I've ever met." Abe said.

There was more silence until Jackson spoke up, "Looks like the trails run out. We lost him."

"Okay.. team. What now?" Mitch asked.

"Let's make camp for the night. We can pick up the trail when it gets light out." Jackson said.

Abe slowed the vehicle and pulled over, I let go of Mitch's hand and started towards the doors in the back, "I'll keep watch from the roof." I said before opening the doors and climbing up onto of the roof.

As soon as the sun came up we were on our way again, looking for the leopard trail.

"We've lost both tranq guns so we'll have to make our own. It's not quiet ketamine, but it should do the trick. The locals have used it for hundreds of years to get drunk so hopefully it's enough to knock a leopard out." Abe said. Talking about the root he had given Mitch to make into liquid to put in a needle that had been taken out of the first aid kit that had been placed in the vehicle.

"That's the most disgusting thing I've ever smelled in my life." Jamie said causing me to grin a little.

Mitch finished stirring the stuff up and put it into the needle before raising it to just above his tongue, "Okay." He said.

"Whoa. Easy are you sure about that?" Jamie asked him.

Mitch shrugged, "It's for science." He replied causing me to snicker a little. He smiled at me and then put a dab on his tongue immediately grimacing at the taste. "Mmm. Tingles. Hope it does more than that to the leopard." Mitch said.

"Stop the truck. Right up there. You see those trees? With the rocks. The rocks along the base." Jackson said passing the binoculars I had given him to use earlier to Abe who peered through them.

"Yes. Looks like their den." Abe said.

 **Stopping here for right now. No worries I will continue this chapter and story later on for now I really need to get to bed. Leave a review and let me know what you think so far.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello again everyone! As promised here is the next chapter which continues from the episode chapter six is made of so ENJOY! Leave a review and let me know what you think of the story so far. *also just to re-iterate what I said in my AN in an earlier chapter (in this write I have made Clementine Mitch's niece but I do know originally in the TV show she is his daughter)* =)**

 **CHAPTER SEVEN**

We stopped and got out, Abe got busy pulling off one of the metal rods from the roof that kept the luggage rack on the vehicle.

Jackson, Jamie and Mitch pondered on how to get close enough to one leopard to knock it out without having the attention of the rest on us the entire time.

While they were all busy I got out of the vehicle and stretched before dropping down to do a few quick push-up's and sit-ups.

Knowing we would need the energy I checked out food supply and handed everyone a protein bar and a bottle of water, since we didn't have the time to sit down and open a can of food.

We all started chewing on the protein bar as I joined Mitch, Jackson and Jamie in the vehicle.

"If we can isolate one leopard from the group, we may have a chance." Jackson said.

"What if we can't?" Jamie asked. There was no answer from any of us as we all knew that this was simply what had to happen.

"Jackson, take this just in case." I said handing him a flashbang grenade.

He took it and gave me a head nod before joining Abe who had just finished fashioning a homemade spear. I got out of the vehicle as well and climbed on-top of the roof so I could see further.

"Need any extra eyes?" Mitch asked his head popping up over the back of the vehicle. I grinned and gave him a hand, helping pull him up the rest of the way.

"Jamie?" I asked.

"She wanted to try and get some sleep." Mitch replied his voice growing a bit quieter as he sat down next to me, facing the opposite way. Our hands met and laced without a word being spoken.

"So you said you wanted to get to know me better, ask away." I said.

"Okay, first question. Why the Seals?" Mitch asked curiously.

I snickered, "Honestly? I was drunk, I was eighteen, I had just gotten my first tattoo and thought I was the baddest thing around and the recruiter was hot."

"Oh…really? That's a little.." Mitch didn't seem to know how to take it causing me to laugh.

"I was hammered, when I finally woke up I was signed up and hungover. That's when I decided to never get that drunk ever again. But the Seals…it was good for me. The training sucked at first but things got better. It…it helped me a lot and I made a lot of good friends. How about you why a veterinary pathologist?" I asked curiously, wanting to get the topic off of me.

Mitch just got done explaining why when I saw Jackson and Abe on their way back bringing our get to know you game to an quick end.

"Their on their way back, can you let Jamie know if she isn't asleep?" I asked Mitch who nodded and got down while I kept watch on Jackson and Abe making sure that no leopards were following them.

When they got within five feet of the vehicle I jumped down from the roof and saw Jackson was holding a leopard cub.

I reached out to take it so Jackson could drive and hopped into the back holding it. Jamie was awake and I gave her a knowing look, I had suspected she had just been faking about getting sleep. She grinned sheepishly at me knowing she had been caught before she immediately was overwhelmed by the cub's cuteness.

We got back to the river only to see that the raft was now underwater, everyone got out but me since I had the cub to go see what was wrong while I began to softly pet the cub and speak to it in Icelandic.

Knowing that it had to be hungry and with its babies' teeth was still only able to eat soft things I checked the canned food and found a fresh thing of tuna that I began to slowly feed the cub whom I had decided to name Kujo, although I wasn't going to tell anyone.

When they got back to the vehicle Jamie told me what had happened and where we were going to have to go through.

"There is really no other way?" I asked Jackson and Abe although knowing that if there was they would have suggested it. They shook their heads and I sighed nodding and handing Kujo over to Jamie to hold.

"Ya'll should know that if they come at us meaning physical harm I will defend myself and the rest of you, violently." I said seriously.

"Please let us talk to them first if they should appear." Abe said.

"Sure, but if they start coming at us I am willing and able to kill." I told him letting him know there would be no hesitation on my part should things go sour.

I petted Kujo as he sat on my lap while Jamie fed him some of the tuna from the can I had opened earlier,

"Hey, are we sure that this is the best plan? I mean, maybe we should just drive fast and get the through here and not worry about the engine noise." Mitch said as he continued to scan the surroundings while Abe drove.

"No. We should stay quiet." Abe said firmly.

Not a nanosecond after he said that a cellphone began to ring, we all looked around for the source.

"What is that?" Jackson asked, his question making me roll my eyes as the stupidity of his question, honestly we all knew it was a cell-phone.

Mitch reached down into the backpack near his feet and after unzipping it he pulled out a cell-phone.

"It's Chloe's phone. Must've left it in my pack." He said surprised before handing it over to Jackson who had reached back for it.

"Hello?" Jackson said as he flipped open the cellphone.

"This is Jackson Oz. I'm a friend of Chloe's. Who is this?" Jackson said speaking to whomever was on the other end.

"She's been arrested. She's fine though. She's safe. She…she's in FBI custody." Jackson said.

"What do you mean? How do you know that?" Jackson asked his tone of voice telling me that something was wrong.

"What's going on?" Jamie asked Jackson who didn't reply as he listened to whatever the other person was saying.

"She didn't kill that agent." Jackson said firmly.

"Has Chloe." Jackson said sounding like he was finishing the sentence of the other person, Jamie looked worried so I took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze causing her to look at me,

" **Chloe will be fine."** I mouthed to her causing her to lighten up a bit but she still looked worried.

"Yes, I…I will. Of course. You do the same." Jackson said before hanging up the cellphone.

"What is it?" Jamie asked a look of dread back on her face.

"That Fed, Brannigan- he was killed." Jackson said.

Jamie glanced at me a look of anger in her eyes, "Reiden." She said.

"It had to be Reiden." Jamie said clarifying what she meant.

"If that is the case then what have they done with Chloe?" Abe asked, speaking our collective worried thoughts.

We stayed silent as Abe continued to drive us through the Mdube Army territory, rounding a turn we found another vehicle heading straight towards us. I put Kujo down and got my Glocks out as I glanced behind us to see if we had a way out.

"We're boxed in." I stated calmly as I took off the safety's and prepared to protect my sister and friends.

Abe pulled to an almost stop as the vehicle in-front of us with the kids and adult carrying weapons pulled sideways so we couldn't pass them, immediately reversing Abe tried to back us out but found the vehicle that had been following us from behind to close for comfort and unable to turn to the side Abe stopped the vehicle.

Immediately the people in the vehicle in front of us began to discharge their weapons in the air while hollering in their native dialect.

The people in the vehicle behind us did the same, a large male got out of the one vehicle and began to run towards our vehicle.

"Jupiter please let me try to talk to them." Abe pleaded, Jamie's fearful look but adamant head nod made me grit my teeth.

"Fine but I will kill them if they try anything." I all but snarled as I put the safety's back on and put my Glocks back into my bag and pushed it behind me angling it in such a way as to make it easy to grab but hidden from sight as I put Jamie who had picked up Kujo behind me as well.

Just in time as the guy who had been running towards our vehicle reached it and put his gun on Jackson while Abe slowly opened his door and stepped out, speaking to the 'soldiers'.

"What is he saying?" Jamie whispered to Jackson who shook his head,

"I have no idea." Jackson admitted quietly.

Something must have happened as one of the guy's held a machete to Abe's throat causing Jackson to holler,

"No, No!" And get out of the vehicle holding up one of his hands as he used the other one to shove open the door.

"Jackson!" Jamie said in a useless attempt to stop him.

"No. Don't hurt him. All right? Take me. Take me. Don't hurt him." Jackson said as he moved to where Abe was standing.

"It's okay. They're not going to hurt me. They think we have money or….or that we are worth money." Abe said trying to placate both sides by staying calm.

I slide a few of my daggers out of my bag and put two of them that had sheaths into the sides of my black combat boots the rest I placed behind me near Jamie, keeping my movements smooth and without as much movement as possible.

"What do we do?" Jamie asked.

"As long as they behave we all live." I said coldly as I kept my gaze on the soldiers who were staring at us from behind.

"We have no money, we have nothing of value and even you can't kill all of them without one or more of us being hurt." Jamie reasoned.

I didn't reply but knew she was telling the truth.

"We have him." Mitch said and I had a feeling he was talking about Kujo.

"What are we going do, sic a kitten on them?" Jamie asked her voice coated with disbelieving sarcasm.

"The needle on Abe's spear-hand it to me." Mitch replied ignoring her comment.

Jamie quickly moved and got the needle and gave it to Mitch but all of their movement caused me to wince inwardly as the soldiers immediately opened the back doors even as I heard Kujo squeal in pain.

"Hey what are you going? What are you doing?! No No! Jupiter! Jamie!" Mitch hollered as the soldiers reached in and jerked myself and Jamie out of the vehicle.

I stayed quiet allowing them to pull me out without complaint or resistance even as Jamie's and Mitch's fearful shouts of 'No!' and 'what are you doing' echoed through the air.

I didn't flinch as I watched Mitch get hit in the stomach with the butt of a rifle when he tried to come after Jamie and I, instead I counted how many men there were and began to calculate what I would have to do and in what order I would have to do it to take down the most amount of men in the quickest way.

Jamie and I were shoved into a semi-circle of men her hands were in the air while I kept mine at my sides and stood side by side with her watching as Jackson and Abe were shoved into the back of our vehicle with Mitch before the back door was closed on them.

Some of the soldiers started to get back into one of the vehicles as the others began to crowd in closer towards Jamie and I, one reached out to touch Jamie when I heard a growling nearby causing me to smirk at the soldiers in front of us.

"Jamie, stay close to me." I said quietly as a loud roar not ten feet away from Jamie and I caught the attention of the soldiers, the one man who had been sitting in the back of the vehicle Jamie and I were standing next to screamed and I knew a leapord had gotten him.

I pulled the machete out of the waistline of the nearest soldier and slit his throat before grabbing Jamie's closest hand and jerking her along behind me as we ran towards the guys while the soldiers behind us were hollering and shooting.

I saw the back doors of the vehicle swing open as Abe and Jackson jumped out just seconds before Jamie and I reached the vehicle I shoved Jamie inside first and jumped up onto the roof so I could protect us if need be.

Jackson and Abe ran to the front, Abe yanked out the soldier who had been sitting in the drivers side so we couldn't escape, and tossed him to the ground before starting up the vehicle, I grabbed onto one of the rails to keep my balance as we speed out of there.

Once we got far enough away Abe stopped so I could get inside the vehicle I left the machete on-top the roof as a back up should I ever need it, before climbing into the back and we took off again.

"That was great what you did back there." Jamie told Mitch as I play fought with Kujo on the floor.

"What?" Mitch asked.

"What you did with Kujo." I said clarifying what Jamie had meant.

"What are you talking about?" Abe asked curiously.

"..Mitch stuck the cub sorry, Kujo, with a needle. His pain sent a distress call. It was just like the lions in L.A. They communicate over long distances." Jamie said though I could feel her eyes on me.

"Oh, that was you!" Abe said surprised but with joy.

"Yeah, I just put their newfound mutation to good use." Mitch said.

"This little guy saved our lives." Jamie said as she reached down to pet Kujo.

I huffed slightly, "His name is Kujo."

I said quietly, pouting a little as Kujo nudged Jamie's hand before he walked back over to me and promptly curled up in my lap, falling to sleep quickly.

"We did it, Rafiki. Ah man, you saved my life." Abe said happily,

"I think…what…what happened?" Abe asked his tone changing to highly concerned causing me to glance up to the front.

"It's okay." Jackson replied faintly.

"What-what happened?!" Abe replied his voice getting more frantic.

Jamie leaned up to look over at Jackson and her eyes widened,

"Oh, my god! Jackson you've been shot!"

"Let me see. Let me see." Mitch said as he pulled off his long-sleeve button up shirt and leaned over the seat to look at Jackson whom Abe kept staring at worriedly barley even glancing at the road.

I moved into a half-crouch as I put Kujo in Jamie's lap,

"Hold him." I told her before turning my attention to Jackson who was now holding Mitch's long-sleeve shirt in a tight ball against his stomach.

"Abe can you stop long enough for Mitch and I to bring Jackson back here?" I asked in a way that sounded like a pleasant order.

Abe immediately stopped and I jumped out of the back, Mitch right beside me as we went around to Jackson and helped him into the back of the vehicle while Jamie, who had immediately climbed up over the seats, sat in the passenger seat half-turned around as she watched us worriedly.

I used a throwing knife and cut Jackson's shirt off so I could see the wound clearly,

"Get me some water and the small Emergency kit I have in my duffel bag." I said nodding in the general direction of my duffel bag as I felt around the edges of the wound and moved my hands to Jackson's back.

Not feeling an exit wound I immediately knew things were going to get bad, even as Mitch handed me the things I had asked for.

"Jackson there's no exit wound but your loosing a lot of blood so first I'm going to clean the wound and then I'm going to cauterize it. However we have to get the bullet out of you and since I can't see it and I don't want to blindly wretch around for it your going to have to be very still until we can get you to a hospital and they extract the bullet. Do you understand?" I said all the while cleaning away the wound and pulling a Zippo out of my backpack.

"..yeah." Jackson replied weekly.

"Good. Mitch hold him down. Jackson bite down on this. This will hurt." I said as I cut off the bottom half of my shirt and rolled it up placing it in Jackson's mouth before I flipped open the Zippo and started to heat up one of my clean throwing knifes, Mitch knowing what I was about to do grabbed Jackson's arms and pinned them down before giving me a nod.

I nodded back and then with a quick movement I shut the Zippo and placed the hot metal of the dagger against Jackson's stomach instantly cauterizing the wound even as Jackson struggled and screamed in pain.

"It's over now Jackson. You did good. For now your okay." I said slipping back into my civilian comforting routine without realizing it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everyone, happy new year! So without much ado, here's the next chapter. Enjoy and thanks for the reads, reviews, and favorites.**

 **CHAPTER EIGHT**

As we sped down the rode with Abe and me in the back, Abe having switched out with Mitch so he could help me hold Jackson as still as possible as we sped over bumps and dips in the roads with Jackson who was having a hard time staying awake but thankfully not loosing anymore blood Jamie spoke up,

"Looks like we're ten miles from the hospital."

"How's he doing?" Mitch asked from the front seat where he was driving while Jamie navigated.

Jackson's face twitched in pain and he gave a quiet gasp/groan combo as we went over yet another bump.

"Not so good." Abe replied worriedly.

"Better then most but with that bullet still lodged in him…we need to get him to the hospital and in the operating room quickly." I replied calmly keeping my worry out of my voice as I tried to reassure everyone in the rapidly moving vehicle.

All of the sudden a small flock of birds came down and slammed their bodies into the sides of the vehicle causing all of us to look up,

"That's the third one in an hour!" Jamie exclaimed as we all watched the birds fly off to join a large number of others in the sky.

"Yeah, that's the same pattern we saw when we were in Boston." Mitch replied.

Jackson started to cough then pulling my attention back down to him,

"Hold on Jackson, just a little longer." I said quietly as I moved him so he was half sitting/half laying on me so the coughing wouldn't hurt him as much as it did when he coughed laying flat on his back.

"We're close my friend." Abe said worriedly squeezing Jackson's shoulder in a reassuring manner.

"Maybe we should pull over?" Jamie said worriedly as she glanced back at Jackson.

"Lot of things I can handle in a pinch, the kind of surgery he needs—not one of 'em." Mitch said causing attention to shift to me.

"We don't have any of the equipment I would need to even start on the surgery he needs, not to mention it needs done in a sterile environment." I said shaking my head in answer to the silent question.

Kujo began to growl as he started to wake up from where Jamie had put him on top of my sweater that had the knife holes in it next to Abe on the floor.

"The cub is impatient, Rafiki. You haven't pet him yet." Abe said to Jackson who grinned faintly in Abe's direction.

"Maybe he just…doesn't like…..the sound of….your voice." Jackson rasped out causing Abe to give a deep rich chuckle and I felt a quick smile touch my lips before I glanced up to see how close we were to the hospital and noticed vehicles loaded up and in a caravan like formation driving down the road.

We passed them and I could tell that every vehicle was loaded to it's max limit easily as we continued to pass them, in between some of the vehicles there was people walking, holding whatever they could carry.

"What's going on?" Jamie asked out-loud what I bet everyone was thinking at that moment.

"Where are they going?" Jamie asked again I glanced over at her just in time to see Mitch shrug as he answered,

"Everyone's leaving town. Could be a million reason's."

We were silent as Mitch continued to drive as fast as he could while staying safe around the turns and within minutes we were finally at the hospital.

"Abe get the doors then give me a hand with moving Jackson, I don't the bullet to move around so we need to be careful and move Jackson ourselves. Jackson let me know if you feel a sudden sharp pain or anything that feels strange. Mitch you get the hospital doors, Jamie bring Kujo and the electroplater." I said taking charge as Mitch pulled to a stop directly in-front of the hospital.

As everyone began to do what I said, I heard screaming and shouting coming from outside of the vehicle and felt a slowly growing sense of dread creep up my spine but trying to hope for the best I shook it off and continued to move out of the vehicle with Jackson, Abe helping me.

When we were out of the vehicle I paused for a brief second as I took in the reason for the screaming and more then likely the reason for the caravan that had been heading away from us on the road.

"That's why their all leaving…" Jamie said in a horrified whisper as she stared at the large crocodiles one of which was currently biting into an already dead man.

"Abe you got Jackson's head and torso, I've got his legs."

"No I can walk." Jackson said, his voice determined.

Knowing better then to argue and loose valuable time I grabbed my duffel bag and backpack and the machete from the roof of the vehicle before dropping back down beside Abe who was supporting Jackson.

"Okay, Lets move!" I stated firmly as a lion roared from somewhere on top of the hospital, my voice spurring the others into action.

Mitch went to get the door but it was locked. Immediately Mitch began to pound on it and Abe hollered,

"Open the door! It's an emergency! My friends needs a doctor!"

A doctor saw us and came over, after giving a quick look around us he opened the door,

"The hospital is closed." The doctor said only opening the door a hand width, Abe grunted and batted the door opened and we all walked in with Jackson and Abe in front.

"Did you hear what I said? We are abandoning the hospital. You have to go elsewhere." The doctor who had opened the door said.

"We don't have time. This mans been shot." I replied keeping an eye on the chaos around us.

"I can't help. I suggest you drive him to Nyanga." The doctor replied.

"That's four hours at least!" Abe said loudly his face and voice showing his desperation and disbelief that the doctor would even suggest such a thing.

"I have lost a dozen colleagues and more patients then I can count. I am sorry but I cannot help you." The doctor replied.

"You will help him! You understand me!?" Abe roared angrily quiet like a lion, I saw movement behind Abe and had one of my throwing knives out and into the hind quarters of the leopard who had been coming out of a small hallway before the Doctor could finish raising his gun.

"United States Navy Seal Lieutenant Commander Jupiter Campbell. You help our friend and I'll protect you while you work." I said evenly as I pulled one of my Glocks' out and made sure the safety was off and there was a round in the chamber.

"The last ambulance leaves in an hour. I will do the surgery, but beyond that you are on your own." The doctor answered.

"Thank you." Abe almost whispered in relief although whether it was to me or the Doctor I wasn't sure.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter. I am sorry for the extreme wait, life has a way of moving past in a blur. Anyway, enjoy and thanks for the reads, reviews, and favorites.**

 **CHAPTER NINE**

Knowing we were going to split up so Mitch could try and make the cure while Jackson was in surgery I gave Jamie a few of the throwing knives I had on me and handed Mitch the Glock I had just taken out.

"Be careful." I told both of them sternly before kissing Jamie on the forehead and dropping a quick kiss on Mitch's lips I turned and began to follow behind the doctor who had been waiting for me.

I began to walk beside the Doctor as he began to wheel Jackson away from the lobby, Abe came along with us. While a singular nurse helped the doctor get what all he needed to do the surgery.

I kept my full attention on the surroundings not paying any attention to the doctor as he talked to Abe.

"I'm sorry but you can't come with us." Brought my attention back to the doctor just in time to see him telling that to Abe who grabbed ahold of the stretcher Jackson was laying on,

"Wait. Be strong Rafiki." Abe said to Jackson who was lying motionless on the stretcher,

"You may want this." The Doctor said as he pulled the gun he had been holding off of the stretcher where it laid beside Jackson and handed it to Abe,

"Thank you." Abe replied before giving me a look, I handed him the machete I had taken from the roof earlier and gave him a firm nod, letting him know without words that I would keep Jackson safe.

"Let's go." The Doctor said as he pushed the button to open the hospital doors and began to wheel Jackson into another part of the hospital, a single armed guard standing to the side of the doors.

I stayed near the doctor and Jackson and in the end killed two crocodiles and a lioness while the doctor did the surgery to remove the bullet from Jackson.

When the surgery was over I made sure the hallway was clear before thanking the doctor, offering him my other untraceable Glock, he hesitated but declined it, "He'll be asleep for another hour or two, as soon as he wakes start the antibiotic, the other one is for the pain." He said before he hurried down the hallways searching for someone, probably Abe.

Turning to Jackson as the nurse handed me the antibiotics and hurried after the doctor I decided to move Jackson from the operating room, it was to open and there was only the one door in or out, and I didn't want Jackson and myself to be trapped with an angry animal.

Checking the hallway again I moved Jackson out of the operating room and into the near-by Post Operation Care Unit as there was several other patients in there and another nurse who was more then a little happy to see me and my weapons.

I pushed Jackson into a space beside another patient, not paying attention to the other patient I made sure that everything was okay with Jackson before checking the windows and making sure they were all shut and locked, then I checked the doors and found that I didn't care for how many doors there were and how easy they were to open.

Peering through the one doorway I saw the hallway was empty but it was small, to small to wheel Jackson out of the room in a hurry down but large enough for a lion to creep up it so I blockaded it with the desk the nurse had been sitting behind. She helped as the desk was not on wheels but a heavy wooden desk.

After we pushed it in-front of the one doorway I waved for her to continue her work on the patients while I went over to the other doorway and peered out.

Keeping up my guard I constantly circled between the doorway that we had blocked off, and the doorway that was still, unfortunately very much open.

About an hour later I heard a soft growling noise and motioned for the nurse to stop moving as I peaked through the glass at the top of the door and saw a leopard stalking down the hallway.

Using hand gesture's I made sure the nurse was standing between the beds of the two awake children, I had noticed that the three patients in the room besides Jackson were kids in my rounds between the doors.

Once she was there I motioned for her to speak or make a loud noise of some-sort as I put away my Glock and pulled out my twin daggers, holding them at the ready.

The leopard burst in through the door way heading straight for the nurse who screamed loudly as did the children, jumping I was on-top of the leopard and had its neck sliced open before it got within three feet of them.

However, the loud screams of two of the kids and the nurse must have woke up Jackson who shot up into a sitting position reaching for the needle that was in his arm,

"Stop Jackson! You need that drip right now, but since your up we need to move." I said including the other three people in the room in my gaze.

Thankfully there was a smaller room that went off the Care Unit with a thick wooden door that locked, I helped Jackson walk over to it while he rolled his drip then I had all three of the kids get into one bed and pushed them into the room behind Jackson, the nurse right behind me.

About to close the door I remembered that Abe would probably come for us so I wrote a big note and stuck it on the wall behind where Jackson had been sleeping so Abe would see it if he came to get us before we went to get him.

Turning to the nurse I paused and mentally sighed, from the terrified look she was giving me she would be no help.

"Jackson, you shouldn't be walking with that injury you could rip your stiches and get infected, kids would you mind if Jackson sat up on the bed with you guys?"

The kids shakily shook their heads and climbed off the bed, I helped Jackson get up on it before helping the kids get up on it as well and then I moved to the door, pressing my ear to it to listen for any sounds in the other room.

Not hearing anything I peeked out of the door and glanced around the room, just in time to see Abe enter the Post Op room.

"Abe." I whispered before I opened the door fully knowing the Abe would have double checked behind him and feeling sure I could kill anything that came our way.

"Jackson?" Abe asked worriedly his eyes peering into mine like he was trying to see through my soul. Stepping to the side of the now wide-open door I motioned for the nurse to wheel out the full bed.

"Abe." Jackson said in relief upon seeing his old-friend. As they re-united I moved out of the room to check the hallways finding them clear I stepped back into the room.

"Abe can you push Jackson and the kids? Nurse you just stay with us and you'll be fine." I told her.

Abe nodded and took the nurses place behind the bed, handing his gun to the nurse.

"Which way Abe?" I asked keeping an ever moving eye on the hallway, my ears straining to catch any sounds. As Abe directed me I moved through the hallways when a faint but familiar sound touched my ears. A growling leopard.

Holding up a fist to tell Abe to stop I peered around the corner of the hallway and saw a leopard stalking straight towards us. Putting my Glock away I pulled out my a throwing dagger I had, not wanting the gunshot to alert the other animals to our position.

As it turned out however, I didn't need to do anything. Several armed men spilled out of the stair-case that was directly to the left of the incoming leopard and promptly tranquilized it.

Recognizing them as the 74th Special Tactics Squadron, United States I called out to them.

When we got outside and the kids and nurse went off with a few armed men in one way, Jackson, Abe and I walked in the direction of a group of vehicles that had been pointed out to us. Jackson having decided that he didn't want to be pushed around in a bed anymore.

"So, I'm guessing the cure works?" I asked Abe as I looked down at the dog that was happily walking beside Abe. It had surprised me when Abe had insisted that we stop at a room so he could retrieve something and came back with a pet dog that was very obviously non-aggressive.

Abe chuckled and nodded when Jamie's voice called out,

"Juipter! Jackson, Abe!"

Looking forward I noticed Jamie and Mitch standing by the vehicle that we had been pointed towards, after giving Jamie and Mitch a quick hug I stayed standing in between them my back to the vehicle as I kept watch of our surroundings.

"Hey those kids and the nurse are they okay?" Jackson asked one of the 74th members who stopped to answer him.

"Their already on their way to Nyanga. We'll track down the kids parents." The man said.

"How'd you know we were here?" Jackson asked, voicing the question everyone looked like they wanted to ask.

"All I'm authorized to say is your location was provided by a French national. But we're gonna get you to Johannesburg and from there on a flight to DC." The man said.

"I made a promise. Can you spare two men to take him back home?" Abe asked gesturing to the dog who was wagging his tail happily.

"You serious?" The man asked.

"Yeah." Abe said handing over the leash.

Deciding that I had waited long enough I reached over to Mitch and pulled the bag containing Kujo into my arms. Peeking in at the still awake cub I began to stroke his fur with my fingertips humming softly to him as I got into the vehicle.

The journey was mostly silent but thankfully it was quick and we were in the jet and up in the air less than two hours later.

After getting into the air I could no longer stand staying still and since Kujo had ate half my dinner and fell back asleep I had no worries about leaving him with Jamie who was slumbering on her seat beside me.

Jackson and Abe were a seat up on the opposite side so I asked them to keep an eye on my two slumbering passengers. They agreed and I gave them a quick smile before heading to the back for some alcohol.

I saw Mitch taking a swig straight from a bottle and smiled at him, "Willing to share?" I asked jokingly as walked up to him.

"I was just pilfering some of these adorable little bottles that haven't grown up yet. Would you like one?" Mitch asked.

I grinned, "I would like nothing more." I replied reaching down and picking up one of the mini bottles of Vodka that were on the counter. Twisting off the lid I took a long pull of the liquid, feeling it move through my body with it's normal heat.

"Ahh." I sighed relaxing for what felt like the first time in forever.

After taking another sip I leaned a hip on the counter and turned my attention to Mitch who was watching me as he sipped from his own bottle.

"How many animals do you think have nearly eaten us?" I asked randomly as I took another sip.

Mitch laughed,

"Um, well to be fair to them they wouldn't have eaten us, they would have just killed us." Mitch replied.

I pursed my lips in thought before giving Mitch a nod, "That's true."

Holding my bottle out we bumped bottle before we both took another mouthful of the Vodka.

Feeling the Vodka burn it's way down but knowing I still had a long way to go if I wanted to get drunk I sighed and ran my left hand through my hair as I thought of the possible things that awaited us when we landed again.

"Hey, we did good alright?." Mitch said pulling my attention back to the present,

I gave him a half smile, "Yeah, yeah we did." I replied before leaning towards him setting my half-empty bottle of Vodka down,

"I think we should reward ourselves." I told him seriously but with a playful smile, Mitch smiled back at me and set his bottle of Vodka down and leaned towards me.

Easily closing the gap between us, I captured his lips in a soft kiss that began to quickly grow more heated as we both poured out our feelings into each second of our kiss.

All of the sudden there was a thump and the plane rattled, instantly a sick feeling hit my stomach, "The birds." I whispered to Mitch who gave me a wide-eyed look. The Capitan came over the speaker.

All I caught was 'airspace closed' and 'migratory behavior' as I laced my hand with Mitch's and we began to hurry back towards our seats when there was a loud thud and the air pressure inside of the plane dropped violently nearly tossing Mitch and myself into the air.

I saw Jamie's wide-eyed panic gaze and hurriedly shoved Mitch into his seat with Jackson and Abe as I turned and grabbed Jamie's hand to reassure her that I was there when something hit me in the head from behind.


End file.
